Archive

08 Aug

Posted at 10:15h in
The second quarter kicked off with a bang. Stock markets were on the rise and one ISA season was coming to its feverish close while another was just beginning. The UK’s ongoing economic recovery, shock budget announcements and the lead up to the world cup also provided that all-important feel-good factor that helps to drive investment. Total platform assets under administration rose by £14bn to £317.3bn, a rise of 5% on the previous quarter, while new records were set for sales. Gross sales for the first three months of the year totalled £21.2bn, up 19% on like-for-like sales in 2013, and net sales rose by 21% to £11.0bn. To download the full press release click here.

07 Mar

Posted at 10:53h in

Despite the pessimism that had permeated the industry before RDR was introduced, 2013 turned out to be an extraordinary year for platforms thanks to the convergence of steadily improving markets, a marked upturn in investor sentiment and the introduction of RDR. The net effect was that platform assets grew by £98bn in 2013, rising from £196bn at the end of 2012 to £294bn in 2013 — a growth rate of 50%.    

To view the rest of this release, click here.

07 Nov

Posted at 09:23h in

The summer period is usually one of the quieter quarters of the year, but an improving economic outlook and the ongoing effect of the Retail Distribution Review (RDR) led to a bumper quarter for platforms. Total platform assets under administration were £267bn, up 7% in the second quarter, and comfortably ahead of FTSE All-Share growth of 5%.

05 Jun

Posted at 09:43h in
With stock markets soaring and the ISA season in full swing, there were reasons to expect a bullish start to the year. However, austerity measures and advisers getting used to life under RDR put a brake on flows. According to the quarterly Distribution Report, gross sales across the fund distribution universe were £28.2bn in the first quarter of the year, down 2% on the previous quarter. But net sales dropped even more markedly to £3bn, a 34% fall on the previous quarter. ISA sales were particularly disappointing. Click here to read or download the full press release.

09 Nov

Posted at 13:00h in
The third quarter of 2012 served up mixed fortunes for the fund industry.  Poor investor sentiment in the early summer contributed to lower sales and led to a dismal August with the lowest net retail sales since October 2008. Flows improved in September on the back of rising stock markets but fund managers report an increasingly distracted adviser community as the RDR deadline approaches.  To read the rest of this press release, click here.

15 Aug

Posted at 08:01h in
Stock markets were up and down like a rollercoaster in the second quarter and platform industry assets lost ground, falling -0.3% to £189bn. But despite the volatility, according to Fundscape’s confidential Platform Report gross sales for the second quarter were up by 1.3% on the previous quarter to £12.2bn, while net sales rose 5% to £6.2bn. To see the rest of this press release click here.

15 Aug

Posted at 07:59h in
The usual flurry of ISA business at the beginning of the tax year gave fund sales a welcome boost in the second quarter. Net retail sales reached their highest level for a year. Managers with the right sort of funds benefitted. Meanwhile the trend towards more investment outsourcing by financial advisers continued. To see the rest of this press release click here.

08 May

Posted at 08:02h in
The first quarter of the year was one of mixed results and mixed messages. For some fund managers, it was a good start to the year, but there was evidence of fewer fund managers winning business as investors retreated from riskier assets towards solutions-oriented funds. M&G led the stakes with a record-breaking £3bn+ in gross retail fund flows. Platforms, on the other hand, were more able to recover their equlibrium partly as a result of a rebound in business and partly as a result of the ongoing adviser shift to platforms. Stock-market rises helped to push platform assets up to £189bn and there was a noticeable rise in gross and net flows.

06 Mar

Posted at 11:30h in
Our latest 60-second reviews (Q4) of the fund management and platform industries are now available.  These are designed to give you a 60 second update of what happened in the fourth quarter — easy to read, easy to digest and easy to pull out when someone asks you a question on the industry.  If you'd like to know more, contact us or visit our product pages to find out how to subscribe to our various publications. To download the fund management review click here. To download the platform review, click here.

01 Mar

Posted at 16:23h in
Click here for the Pridham press release for the fourth quarter of 2011. Click here for the Platform press release for the fourth quarter of 2011. Click here for the Distribution press release for the fourth quarter of 2011.