If you want to grow your money in real terms, most of the assets you buy will have an element of risk attached to them. That risk can either be specific to an individual investment, or specific to the broader asset class to which that investment belongs. It is therefore critical to have a view of both the merits of a potential investment as it stands alone, as well as a clear understanding of what forces impact the asset class in which that investment resides. Every fund manager has a process for how they evaluate the attractiveness of a particular investment. These approaches will generally share common characteristics. Few managers scrutinise and incorporate the forces that impact the asset class or sector that the investment occupies. Obsidian Capital is different because the bigger picture forms the basis of every investment we make. This requires an intricate understanding of how asset classes or sectors perform under various market conditions and demands that we have a view on what those conditions will be over the investment horizon in question. This approach has served us well since Obsidian’s inception in 2007. Our concentrated suite of products has produced competitive but differentiated returns on a consistent basis. The defining characteristic of those returns has been a limitation to losses in poor markets, and participation in the upside during stronger periods. We put our success down to our ability to manage risk by understanding and provisioning for the influential macroeconomic factors that impact each asset class. This improves the chances of us unlocking the value of the individual investments we deem attractive. Obsidian Capital (Pty) Ltd is an authorized financial services provider. CIS disclaimer available at http://www.obsidiancapital.co.za/obsidian-sanlam-collective-investments-balanced-fund.