The use of cash by fund managers has been attracting the headlines recently, with November’s BofA Merrill Lynch global fund manager survey showing a record percentage of global fund managers were taking above-normal levels of risk in their investments.
Investor confidence hit a 12-month high in December according to the latest investor sentiment index from Lloyds Private Bank, with investors becoming increasingly bullish on the prospects for US equities.
Despite concerns about heightened political volatility, 2017 proved a strong year for funds investing in Europe with no funds in the IA Europe ex UK sector losing money.
Japanese and European smaller company investment trusts top the rankings when it comes to year-to-date returns, with both AIC sectors delivering returns north of 40%.
Despite a strong year for US stock markets in 2017, a strengthening pound has taken some of the gloss from returns for UK-based investors.
Despite a year of record inflows into funds, investor confidence hit an all-time low in 2017, according to Hargreaves Lansdown.
Schroders has partnered with Distribution Technology to launch a range of five risk-targeted funds.
With an average return of 16.11% in sterling terms, the IA Japan sector well rewarded investors in 2017, with the best performing fund up nearly 40%.
The ability to gear and stay invested in rising markets has lead the vast majority of investment trusts to outperform their comparable open-ended peers according to new research from Winterflood Investment Trusts (Wins).
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but looking at this year’s worst performing sectors and where investors have mostly been investing in 2017 may make depressing reading for some.
Those investors who took a risk on approach in 2017 have been well rewarded, with the traditionally more volatile sectors and regions topping the performance return tables over the year.
Emerging market equities and short duration corporate bonds are just two assets which should perform well in 2018 according to Fund Calibre’s Darius McDermott.
