Market stampede turns favorite defensive trades into danger zone

Investors may not be fully protected by the rush for defensive assets, experts have warned. The consequent surge in prices for tech stocks and high-grade corporate bonds could leave them exposed to a potentially painful reversal, according to Frederique Carrier, head of investment strategy at RBC Wealth Management. Investment analysts are advising a different approach that includes low-volatility shares and short credit positions. A Bank of America fund manager survey reflected investor confidence that tech firms with strong balance sheets would weather a recession, the survey also revealed record bullish positioning in investment-grade credit over high yield.