10 most popular investment trusts - May 2017
7th June 2017 11:32
continues to be the most popular investment trust bought by investors on Money Observer's sister website Interactive Investor.
James Anderson's technology-slanted global trust, which won Best Global Growth trust at the Money Observer's 2017 investment trust awards, continues to be popular.
It was the most-bought trust in May, a feat that has been achieved every single month bar one since February 2014. The exception to the rule was in April 2015, when the Money Observer Rated Fund was briefly toppled by during its record-breaking £800 million launch.
The multi-manager trust took second place. It outsources its portfolio to external fund managers, who invest in different regions and it is a Money Observer Rated Fund. In a recent article, Witan's chief executive Andrew Bell explained why he believes it is wrong to give up on active funds.
The aforementioned Woodford Patient Capital has taken the third spot in May. This is despite the trust's disappointing performance to date. Over one year it has lost 4.8%, while in contrast the average investment trust in its sector has gained 22% over the same time frame.
Outside the top three, , which is a popular choice for income investors, was the fourth most-bough trust in May. It is viewed as a reliable performer, due to having a 50-year record of growing dividends under its belt.
It is followed by , winner of the Money Observer Best UK Income trust award and , another global generalist to occasionally appear in the top ten.
took the seventh spot. The trust shed 7.1% over the last three months and has gained 56.1% over one year. Given the stark ups and downs in commodity fortunes this trust is not for the faint-hearted.
The trust has significantly benefited from the recovery in commodity prices in 2016 and the weakening of sterling following the EU referendum, as it focuses predominantly on large cap UK miners that generate earnings in dollars.
The rest of the top 10 are , which invests in smaller European companies and returned an impressive 92.1% over three years and 10.1 over one month.
It's followed by , managed by Paul Niven. The trust, which has 46.4% in North American equities and 18.3 in Europe ex UK, returned 3.9% over one month and 36.4% over one year.
Finally, was the tenth most-bought trust in May. The multi-asset trust is described as a wealth preservation fund because it invests in a cautious manner.
The two trusts that have slipped out of top 10 are and the .
| Rank | Trust | AIC sector | Change since April | 1 month share price return to 2 June (%) | 3-year share price return to 2 June (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scottish Mortgage | Global | -- | 5.6 | 99.1 |
| 2 | Witan | Global | -- | 3.9 | 51.1 |
| 3 | Woodford Patient Capital | UK all companies | +1 | 0.6 | n/a |
| 4 | City of London | UK equity income | -1 | 4.1 | 27.7 |
| 5 | Finsbury Growth & Income | UK equity income | -- | 5.8 | 50.9 |
| 6 | Monks | Global | New entry | 6.6 | 90 |
| 7 | BlackRock World Mining | Commodities and natural resources | +1 | 1.1 | -11.5 |
| 8 | TR European Growth | European Smaller Companies | New entry | 10.1 | 92.1 |
| 9 | Foreign & Colonial | Global | -2 | 3.9 | 64.9 |
| 10 | RIT Capital Partners | Flexible Investment | -4 | -0.4 | 50.5 |
This article is for information and discussion purposes only and does not form a recommendation to invest or otherwise. The value of an investment may fall. The investments referred to in this article may not be suitable for all investors, and if in doubt, an investor should seek advice from a qualified investment adviser.
This article was originally published in our sister magazine Money Observer, which ceased publication in August 2020.
These articles are provided for information purposes only. Occasionally, an opinion about whether to buy or sell a specific investment may be provided by third parties. The content is not intended to be a personal recommendation to buy or sell any financial instrument or product, or to adopt any investment strategy as it is not provided based on an assessment of your investing knowledge and experience, your financial situation or your investment objectives. The value of your investments, and the income derived from them, may go down as well as up. You may not get back all the money that you invest. The investments referred to in this article may not be suitable for all investors, and if in doubt, an investor should seek advice from a qualified investment adviser.
Full performance can be found on the company or index summary page on the interactive investor website. Simply click on the company's or index name highlighted in the article.
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