Woodford tops August sales chart as trackers surge

Trends exhibited by the August data, published 2 September, included a preference for long-term capital growth strategies, as well as the growing popularity of tracker funds.

However, while Neil Woodford’s reputation continues to draw investment in almost any market conditions, other active managers are enduring a somewhat tougher run.

The placing of Legal & General UK Index, HSBC FTSE 250 Index, Vanguard FTSE All Share Index trusts and BlackRock UK Equity Tracker fund in fourth, fifth, seventh and eighth respectively may represent a shift in investor sentiment from active management to passive vehicles.

“Having four tracker funds is unprecedented in comparison to our previous monthly reports,” said Sheridan Adams, investment research manager at The Share Centre.

“This could be the result of investors losing confidence in active management strategies, or looking for more cost effective ways of gaining access to a diverse range of UK companies.”

Axa Framlington Biotech and Polar Capital Healthcare Opportunities completed the top three, sitting alongside a variety of funds that afford exposure to US equities, sitting alongside the F&C Navigator Boutiques Fund and Aberdeen MM Constellation Trust.  

With ‘risk-off’ currently in favour, the lone high-risk option to feature in the top 10 was Giles Hargreave’s Marlborough Special Situations.

“The Marlborough Special Situations fund is an interesting choice from investors this month,” said Adams. “This fund seeks and identifies companies that are going through difficult times but have good recovery prospects.

“With a typically large risk associated, these types of funds are not for the faint-hearted and should never make up more than a small percentage of an investor’s overall portfolio.”

August’s top traded funds from The Share Centre: