Zürcher Kantonalbank offers cat bond funds

• Zürcher Kantonalbank is offering a dedicated Luxembourg investment fund focused on cat bonds
• Qualified investors gain access to a diversified portfolio with an attractive risk-return profile
• Experienced portfolio management and a proven risk framework provide a robust setup  

Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB) is offering a dedicated Luxembourg investment fund focused on cat bonds. The Swisscanto (LU) Bond Fund Cat Bonds thus expands the fixed income range of Switzerland’s second-largest asset manager.

Given the turbulent market environment, the special properties of cat bonds are coming into particular focus: the returns on these bonds – which enable insurance companies to hedge insurance risks such as hurricanes, floods or earthquakes – depend on these specific events and are less driven by general market developments. As a result, cat bonds typically exhibit low correlation with traditional asset classes such as equities and corporate bonds. They can therefore help to bring greater stability to an investment portfolio during periods of market volatility.

Dedicated team and established risk model  

The Swisscanto (LU) Bond Fund Cat Bonds invests exclusively in standardised and tradable cat bonds. This provides qualified investors with focused, liquid and transparent access to the premiums associated with insurance risks. The fund is embedded in ZKB’s risk and governance framework and features a risk model specifically designed for cat bonds.

The expertise of the dedicated cat bond team also contributes to a robust framework. Senior Portfolio Manager Karl Ruzsics has been working in the Fixed Income department of ZKB since 2022. Deputy Portfolio Manager Jamil Bouallai completes the experienced team. Both Karl Ruzsics and Jamil Bouallai bring a quantitative background that provides ideal conditions for operating successfully in the cat bond market.

“We are bringing modern fixed-income expertise to a specialised niche. We combine an established risk model with an active relative-value approach to create a diversified portfolio with attractive return potential,” comments Maurizio Pedrini, designated Head of Fixed Income, on the launch.

Contact

Media Relations Zürcher Kantonalbank, phone +41 44 292 29 79, medien@zkb.ch

Zürcher Kantonalbank

Zürcher Kantonalbank is a leading universal bank in the Zurich economic area with a national presence and international reach. It is an independent institution incorporated under public law owned by the Canton of Zurich. With more than 6,600 employees across the Group, Zürcher Kantonalbank offers its clients a comprehensive range of products and services. The bank’s core businesses include financing, asset management, trading and capital markets, as well as deposit-taking, payment transactions and card services. Zürcher Kantonalbank provides its clients and distribution partners with a comprehensive range of investment and pension solutions.

Asset Management of Zürcher Kantonalbank

The Asset Management of Zürcher Kantonalbank manages over CHF 325 billion in assets (as at end-2025), making it the second-largest asset manager in Switzerland. Experienced specialists develop high-quality investment and pension solutions for private investors, companies and institutions under the Swisscanto product brand. The asset management teams operate exclusively in the Zurich financial centre. Swisscanto investment funds are regularly recognised with national and international awards.

Legal notices

This document is intended solely for information and marketing purposes. It does not constitute an offer or a recommendation to acquire, hold or sell financial instruments, nor does it form a basis for a contract or any kind of obligation. Every investment involves risks, in particular with regard to value, income, and potentially currency fluctuations. Past performance and returns as well as estimates of future performance, returns and risks are not a reliable indicator of future results. The current fund documents (in particular the prospectus and the PRIIPs KID) are available free of charge at products.swisscanto.com. An overview of investor rights is available at https://www.swisscanto.com/ch/de/institutionelle/rechtliches/anlageinformationen.html . 

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