IMA survey shows UK equities out in the cold

The annual IMA asset management survey has shown a slump in interest in UK equities as investors look further afield for returns.

Though the IMA said retail investors continued to return to equity funds in 2010, the trend was almost entirely driven by non-UK equity inflows. Non-UK equity funds have outsold UK equity funds in five out of the last six years, compared to only twice in the thirteen years before that, but 2010 saw the gap between the two sectors widen significantly. Net retail investment into equity funds of £6.8bn was almost wholly driven by non-UK equity net retail sales. Net retail sales of UK equity funds totalled just £52m, down from £2bn in 2009. UK equities now represent just 43% of total e...