The survey, conducted by Barings Investment Barometer between May and June 2015, revealed that 47% of the 108 UK investment professionals that took part are advising clients to pick multi-asset strategies in response to current market volatility.
This represents a hike on the 36% recorded in a December 2014 Barometer, and is the highest proportion since it was first introduced in 2011.
Furthermore, 73% of respondents said they were either ‘very’ or ‘quite’ favourable towards multi-asset growth vehicles, with 68% giving the same answer regarding multi-asset income products. This compared to 57% favourability towards multi-asset strategies in general recorded in Q1 2014.
This year’s study also revealed that 36% of those questioned recommended clients up their weightings to multi-asset growth products, versus 25% who believe that exposure should increase to developed market equities.
Regarding the steepness of that increased exposure, 27% of IFAs expect retail clients to up their weightings by 10-19% in the next year, while 15% anticipated a rise of more than 20%. This compared to 2% who believe that multi-asset growth exposure among clients will decline in the period.
Rod Aldridge, Barings’ head of wholesale distribution EMEA, said: “Sentiment towards multi-asset investment products, including ones focused on income, is clearly strong and we would expect this to continue as the benefits of a multi asset approach become ever more apparent, particularly in light of current market volatility.”
