magazine archive
magazine archive
Investment Trusts
Wide dispersion of discounts and premiums among private equity trusts
Thursday 27 Jun 2019There is an unusually wide spread between the premiums and discounts in the private equity-focused investment trust space. We would normally expect such products to trade below the value of their underlying assets yet the sector currently has some trading on discounts as wide as 40% and premiums of...
John Laing Environmental looks beyond wind and solar
Thursday 20 Jun 2019Like when a little-known band comes out with a banger and then everyone likes it, John Laing Environmental Assets ( JLEN ) is looking to tilt its portfolio as its biggest exposures, wind (43%) and solar (25%), have become too much of a scene. Citing ‘competitive pressure’ in the sectors, JLEN is...
Syncona sees surge in net asset value growth
Thursday 20 Jun 2019INVESTMENT TRUST Syncona ( SYNC ) has reported 38% growth in net asset value (NAV) for the year ended 31 March. It invests in life science businesses and the past year’s performance has been helped by valuation increases to its stakes in Autolus, Nightstar and Blue Earth. Syncona says it will no...
Why cash levels have shot up at Schroder AsiaPacific
Thursday 20 Jun 2019Matthew Dobbs, the manager of Schroder AsiaPacific ( SDP ) , has increased the fund’s cash levels to their highest level for at least a decade according to investment bank Stifel. While Dobbs acknowledges Asian markets are modestly cheap, he is concerned about the weak growth outlook and the scope...
What is the future of Woodford Patient Capital Trust?
Thursday 13 Jun 2019Following the suspension of LF Woodford Equity Income (BLRZQ73) , the big question for a lot of retail investors is what’s going happen to Woodford Patient Capital Trust ( WPCT ) ? Equity Income and Patient Capital have a big overlap in holdings, so what happens in one fund can have a big impact on...
Seeking uncorrelated returns via a trust trading on a big discount
Thursday 13 Jun 2019Managed by James de Bunsen and Peter Webster, the primary focus of Henderson Alternative Strategies Trust ( HAST ) is to give private investors access to strategies and asset classes that are either not available to retail or are closed to further investment. The investment trust can invest in...
Is it worth paying a premium for infrastructure funds?
Thursday 06 Jun 2019On the face of it, investing in infrastructure seems like a wise move. After all, you tend to get a steady stream of income for a long period of time. Assets such as ports, airports and toll roads aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, and due to their essential nature their earnings are both...
Understanding why certain investment trusts are so popular
Thursday 30 May 2019A desire to generate returns through income and/or growth is a long-standing goal for investors but do you know the most popular investment products to achieve this goal? We’ve looked at the 30 most widely-held investment trusts among AJ Bell Youinvest customers to see which products resonate with...
The dividend heroes that have beaten inflation
Thursday 23 May 2019Investment trust dividend heroes are classified as funds that have increased their dividends every year for at least 20 years in a row. While this list, published by the Association of Investment Companies (AIC), will help you spot products with a dividend growth track record, it doesn’t tell you...
Witan is ready to fight back after lagging the market
Thursday 16 May 2019Growing awareness among the general public of low-cost exchange-traded funds (ETF) means actively-managed funds have to try even harder to stand out from the crowd and justify their typically higher fees. With ETF products such as Lyxor Core MSCI World (LCWL) offering exposure to companies around...