02 June 2008

 

ALLIANCE TRUST SAVINGS REVEALS TOP INVESTMENT TRUST CHOICES FOR THE LAST FINANCIAL YEAR

 

Investors return to some 'old favourites' as stock markets tumble

 

Alliance Trust Savings, a leading UK financial services provider, today publishes the results of its annual ‘Alliance Trust ISA Ranking1’ for tax year 2007/08.

 

The Alliance Trust ISA Ranking lists the most popular investment trusts that private investors have chosen for their ISA through Alliance Trust Savings, which excludes investments in Alliance Trust PLC due to its disproportionate amount of holdings. The yearly ranking shows investors’ favourite pick was RIT Capital Partners, holding the top spot for a second year running. Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust moved up into second place and British Empire Securities & General Trust dropped from second to third place.

 

Over the year, investors' top choices were focused on popular non-benchmark constrained trusts with strong track records such as RIT Capital Partners and British Empire Securities, as well as selected emerging market trusts. However, selections were more varied on a quarter by quarter basis. Alliance Trust's quarterly analysis showed that investors were venturing more widely, particularly when the market was more buoyant. In Q1 of 2007 the tops picks included JP Morgan European Fledgling and Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust, which did not make it into the top rankings for the year. Similarly in Q3 of 2007, Jupiter's Green Investment Trust and Primadona Growth Trust both featured in the top 20, as did Merrill Lynch World Mining Trust (now BlackRock World Mining).

 

Kelly O’Donnell, Managing Director of Distribution at Alliance Trust Savings, said, “Our yearly investment trust ISA ranking gives us a valuable insight into investment habits.  Over this year we saw a few old favourites slipping out of the top twenty with some new choices appearing for the first time.  However, since the stock market's downturn we have seen investors return to what are deemed to be the more stable choices. The movement we’ve seen highlights investors’ willingness to switch investments in reaction to changing market conditions or their personal circumstances.”

 

Alliance Trust ISA Ranking1

 

2007/08                                                                                     Change

                                                                                                            compared to

                                                                                                            06/07

 

  1. RIT Capital Partners                                                                   unchanged
  2. Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust                                             up 6
  3. British Empire Securities & General Trust                                    down 1
  4. Law Debenture Corporation PLC                                      up 3
  5. Temple Bar Investment Trust                                                       up 4                             
  6. Caledonia Investments PLC                                                        down 3
  7. Lowland Investment Company                                                     down 2
  8. Merchants Trust PLC                                                                 up 3
  9. Templeton Emerging Markets Investment Trust                             up 4
  10. SVM Global Fund PLC                                                               up 6
  11. City of London Investment Trust                                                   up 3
  12. Perpetual Income & Growth Investment Trust                                down 6
  13. JP Morgan Indian Investment Trust                                              up 4
  14. TR Property Investment Trust                                                      down 10
  15. Witan Investment Trust                                                               down 3
  16. JPMorgan Emerging Markets Investment Trust                             NEW*
  17. JPMorgan Fleming Mercantile Investment Trust                            down 7
  18. Edinburgh Investment Trust                                                         NEW*
  19. Foreign & Colonial Investment Trust PLC                          NEW*
  20. Murray International Trust PLC                                                    unchanged

 

 

 

There are three new entrants among this year's top 20 that did not appear in the ranking in the previous year. These were JPMorgan Emerging Markets Investment Trust (number 16); Edinburgh Investment Trust (number 18); and Foreign & Colonial Investment Trust (number 19). The biggest movers over the 12 months were Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust (number 2) and SVM Global Fund PLC (number 10). The biggest fall of 10 places came from TR Property Investment Trust, which dropped into 14th place.

 

Simon Elliot, Head of Research at WINS Investment Trusts said: “Looking at the net ISA sales over the last twelve months, the most notable riser up the rankings is Scottish Mortgage which has performed strongly following the adoption of a global stock picking approach. RIT Capital Partners, British Empire and Caledonia remain popular, while previous favourites TR Property and Perpetual Income & Growth have dropped down the rankings. New entries in the past year include Foreign & Colonial, and Edinburgh Investment Trust. Interestingly, despite being one of the best performing funds over the past year, BlackRock World Mining (formerly Merrill Lynch World Mining) does not feature."

 

Customers in the Alliance Trust Select ISA can pick from more than 1,500 investment choices including hundreds of investment trusts, as well as equities, gilts and other fixed income investments.

             

 

Contacts

Jane Holligan, Media Relations Manager          Anna Schirmer/ Stuart Lerman/ Anna Moulds

Alliance Trust                                                   Lansons Communications

Tel  +44 (0)1382 306064                                   Tel  +44 (0)20 7294 3641/ 3674/ 3681

Mobile  07745 783212                                      Email  alliancetrust@lansons.com

Email  jane.holligan@alliancetrust.co.uk           

Web  http://www.alliancetrust.co.uk

 

 

Notes to editors

  1. The Alliance Trust ISA Ranking is compiled by Alliance Trust based on holdings of investment trusts in its Select ISA. The ranking excludes holdings in Alliance Trust PLC.

 

  1. Alliance Trust is the brand name of Alliance Trust Savings, a financial services company that offers                  investment dealing, self-invested personal pensions and a choice of investment wrappers. Alliance Trust Savings administers assets on behalf of more than 53,000 customers. Alliance Trust Savings is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alliance Trust PLC.

 

  1. Photographs of Kelly O’Donnell are available.

 

 

 

- ends -