Price and Performance

For the month of January, the Trust’s Total Shareholder Return and NAV Total Return were -2.0% and -1.7% respectively, underperforming the benchmark MSCI All Country World Index (ACWI) which returned -0.6%.

After a fruitful 2019, markets began the year with strong performance. However, the coronavirus outbreak led to a significant shift towards risk aversion capital flow into safe havens. This risk aversion wiped out earlier gains and the market finished January down overall. Notably, emerging markets equities were most affected by the  coronavirus outbreak and fell 4.7%. The S&P 500 continued its leadership of major stock markets and was flat over the month, outperforming Europe’s equity markets by 0.6%.

KKR & Co. Inc. was one of the largest contributors to the Trust’s performance, as the company reported strong core growth in management fees and fee-paying assets under management. Qorvo Inc. was a material detractor from performance during the month, due to the volatility surrounding the Coronavirus outbreak in China and the subsequent concerns around the implications for consumer demand. Within the Trust’s portfolio, a position was initiated in ConvaTec Group, a UK based international medical products and technologies company focused on therapies for the management of chronic conditions, with leading market positions in advanced wound care, ostomy care, continence and critical care, and infusion devices. In addition, the company announced an investment program for product Research and Development, to improve infection prevention and patient outcomes.