Press Release

QUARTERLY INVESTMENT FUND STATISTICS FUNDS OF FUNDS, TRACKER AND ETHICAL DATA - Q1 2008

7 May 2008

• Total investment funds under management £432.7 billion
• Funds under management in funds of funds £32.6 billion
• Net retail sales of funds of funds £228.7 million
• Tracker funds under management £24.5 billion
• Net retail sales of tracker funds £64.3 million
• Ethical funds under management £5.4 billion
• Net retail sales of ethical funds £27.6 million

Funds of Funds - funds under management
Funds under management at the end of Q1 2008 reached £32.6 billion, down from £34.2 billion seen at the end of the previous quarter but an increase of 8% from the same quarter in 2007. Balanced funds accounted for the majority of funds under management, representing 68% of assets, followed by 19% in equity funds. 

Funds of funds - net sales
Total net sales were £637.3 million in Q1 2008 down from £834 million seen in the previous quarter, and lower than the £821.1 million seen in Q1 2007. 57% was invested externally.  The most popular sector sectorin Q1 2008 was Cautious Managed, accounting for net inflows of £238.3 million.. 

Tracker funds
Funds under management in Q1 2008 reached £24.5 billion, a decrease of 10% from the previous quarter and 7% down from £26.3 billion seen in Q1 2007. Retail sales saw a net inflow of £64.3 million in Q1 2008 compared with an outflow of £59.6 million in the previous quarter; the same quarter the previous year saw an outflow of £4.9 million. The most popular distribution channel for gross retail tracker sales was intermediaries, accounting for 63% of sales.

Ethical funds
Ethical funds under management were £5.4 billion in Q1 2008, a decrease from the previous quarter's £5.9 billion and slightly higher than the £5.3 billion seen in the same quarter in 2007. Retail sales saw a net inflow in Q1 2008 of £27.6 million, compared to an inflow of £99.7 million in the previous quarter; the same quarter the previous year saw an inflow of £99.8 million.  

Jane Lowe, Director of Markets at the IMA commented:

"Tracker funds saw a positive quarterly inflow, with a good month in March 2008, after six previous quarters of outflows.  This may reflect the cautious improvement in overall net retail sales of funds seen during February and March 2008.  Investment in funds of funds has remained positive throughout, and although funds under management were down on the last quarter they remain ahead of the same quarter in 2007."