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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The Babylon Fund's top ten holdings
Warka Bank
Qurain Holding
North Bank
Investment Bank of Iraq
Addax Petroleum
Iraqi Middle East Investment Bank
Bank of Baghdad
DNO AS
Commercial Bank of Iraq
Baghdad Soft Drinks
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