More providers, fewer buyers

structured products

growth vehicles proved popular but sales of income products fell dramatically last year

Sales of structured products fell last year, despite the number of new issuances having risen, according to research into 2003 sales figures by structured-retailproducts.com. Robert Benson, managing director of Arete Consulting, which runs the website, said there was a drop of more than 15% in sales, from £6.28bn in 2002 to £5.36bn last year but noted these figures mask complex changes in the industry. There was continued growth in the sales of capital protected vehicles but this was offset by a substantial decline in the sales of high income products. Sales of growth products, the major...