Martin Currie Asia Unconstrained Trust (MCP) aims to deliver returns in line with nominal Asia ex-Japan GDP growth on a rolling three-year basis. It aims to achieve this through a rigorous ‘forensic’ analysis, to build a relatively concentrated portfolio of c 30 high-conviction stocks. This strategy was adopted in August 2014 and has since delivered annualised total returns of 11.6% to end-May 2018, with lower volatility relative to the MSCI AC Asia ex-Japan index. Following a change in dividend policy in April 2017, MCP’s 4.1% yield is one of the highest among peers, although its discount to cum-income NAV is one of the widest, suggesting scope to narrow over time.
