Martin Currie prepares to launch Absolute Alpha funds

Martin Currie's latest offerings, the Japan and European Absolute Alpha funds, will launch this month with a long bias to internationally-focused companies

Keith Donaldson, the co-head of the Japan desk, says companies such as Canon and Honda are “world-beating”, and have done remarkably well given the deflationary environment in their domestic market. “They have had to compete internationally, so their skills are much better than companies that have not had to do that. Also, international companies tend to be more forthright generating returns for shareholders,” he adds. Donaldson says one exception is automobile manufacturers, whose global focus could hurt them as purchase incentives in America and Europe expire this year. The manag...