Thornburg's Sparkman lengthens maturities and leans international now

Adam Sparkman, client portfolio manager at Thornburg -- part of the team running TBLD, the Thornburg Income Builder Opportunity Trust -- says that current market conditions favor the flexibility of a multi-asset approach, noting that  "it's a different menu within fixed income entering 2024 than it was a couple of years ago." The changes in the rate environment have allowed the firm to increase credit quality. "We're taking less credit risk and we're looking to add a bit of duration," Sparkman says. On the equity side of things, Sparkman says international investments -- especially in Europe -- are trading at relative discounts, making them particularly attractive now.