The lesson of 2008 was that "income isn't income" –
that is, not all fixed income strategies proved to
be defensive, liquid and diversified. Nor were all
strategies able to deliver consistent income and
protect on the downside. Unfortunately, the lessons
leaned during this most recent period of fixed
income market stress are not new. This research
paper revisits where some fixed income investors
went wrong, and then provides insights to assist in
evaluating the risks in fixed income. Finally, it
shows how to construct genuinely defensive
portfolios that focus on delivering the hallmarks of
quality fixed income strategies - capital
preservation, consistent income, diversification and
maintaining sufficient liquidity - and demonstrates
where the opportunities lie for investors going
forward.