Investors also showed their appreciation for the theme, with NB Global Floating Rate Income achieving the largest launch of the year, raising £309m.
The Association of Investment Companies said a number of investment trusts adopted an international income focus during the year, while half of the launches in 2011 had an income focus.
In the year just six investment companies launched, raising £691m between them, and of these six funds, three had an income remit.
In contrast, 15 investment companies launched in 2010, collectively raising £1.7bn and were spread across are more eclectic range of sectors.
Annabel Brodie-Smith, communications director at the AIC, said: "In a challenging global economic environment, and at a time when low interest rates and creeping inflation have presented some difficult hurdles for those looking to maximise their savings, it’s not surprising to see that income has been the dominant theme of 2011.
"This was the case both when it comes to new issues, but was also reflected in much of the secondary market activity.
"Policy changes have also really come to the fore this year. Investment company boards are clearly working hard to help ensure they can add value to investors, by giving the manager as much flexibility as possible in the context of the difficult economic environment."
Flexibility for managers
In total, 11 investment companies changed their investment policies in 2011, compared to five in 2010, with a trend to more international and income-led portfolios.
Another factor that showed investment companies had tuned into investors’ low-cost priorities was the move by three of them to abandon their performance fee arrangements.
Foreign & Colonial Investment Trust abolished its performance fee and fixed its base management fee to 0.65%. Schroder UK Growth Fund terminated its performance fee and increased its base management fee to 0.65%.
Finally, British Assets Trust removed its performance fee from 1 October, with the basic fee increased to 0.4% of total assets.
