Firms report surge in investor appetite for European equities

Evidence of investors moving back into European equities has increased as two industry reports reveal it has overtaken emerging markets in a preferred list of asset classes.

In September, Investment Week reported multi-managers and wealth managers had tentatively begun to add to European funds, reducing underweight positions on fears they could miss out on a "stampede" into the asset class. Today, fund platform Skandia, part of Old Mutual Wealth, said sales into European equities rose 27% in the third quarter, on renewed optimism for the beleaguered continent following bond-buying commitments from the European Central Bank. A survey of over 120 intermediary clients by Schroders also revealed that European equities were among the most attractively-valued a...