Fund of the week: high stakes and big rewards in Iraq

The $23.6m Babylon Fund, run by ex-UN peacekeeper Björn Englund, is focused heavily on Iraq, with 30% invested in bonds and 70% in equities.

Bjrn Englund, 40, is no stranger to conflict. A former warrant officer, the Swede served as a UN peacekeeper in Lebanon and Kuwait more than 20 years ago. But now he's got an even bigger fight on his hands. As manager of the $23.6m Iraqi-focused Babylon Fund, he's trying to convince people that Iraq is a plausible long-term investment.

Launched in September 2006, 30% of the Babylon Fund is invested in bonds, including Iraqi sovereign debt. He lists the 5.8% coupon, maturing in 2028, as one of his favourites. The other 70% is in equities, half of which are foreign firms with significant operations in Iraq, including several oil groups.

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