Wednesday August 20, 09:24 AM
Fund investors reveal cautious side
By Barney McCarthy
Investment levels in funds for June reflected a dip in confidence compared to growth seen in the rest of the second quarter, according to Barclays Stockbrokers Funds Market.
Assets fell 42% in June from May and 24% compared to April. This
is in contrast to the positive inflows seen following this years ISA season, as assets invested in funds increased by 27% in May compared to April.
Investors are seeking increased security combined with growth potential for their investments as money market and absolute return top the tables as the most popular sectors.
The money market sector continues to prove most popular by assets invested in Barclays Stockbrokers Funds Market in June taking the top slot for the third month running, 34% of total assets.
But some investors continue to seek opportunities in more diverse sectors. The specialist sector continues to be popular, taking second place in the second quarter. In particular Latin America and commodity funds took high inflows, with the JP Morgan Natural Resources fund ranking highest in its sector. Threadneedles Latin America Fund and JP Morgan’s New Europe Fund also proved popular.
Chris Stevenson, associate director, funds market at Barclays Stockbrokers, said: Market volatility has continued to dominate the headlines so a cautious approach from investors comes as no surprise. We saw money market funds dominate assets invested over the second quarter, confirming investor need for protecting investments.
Looking at specific funds it is clear to see cash funds are key, with our latest offering, the Barclays Global Investors Liquidity First Fund, increasing in popularity.
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