The managers of Aberdeen Emerging Markets (AEMC) are optimistic about the prospects for the company. Strong performance last year has not yet translated into a reduction in the discount that the share price trades at relative to the asset value, but if outperformance can be maintained, this should follow in...
As we approach the seventh anniversary of Polar Capital Global Financials Trust (PCFT)’s launch, its directors are proposing that the company continues beyond its planned wind-up date. A decade after the financial crisis, the sector, and banks in particular, remain out of favour. The problem is compounded for UK-based investors...
Adding value in cautious times Standard Life Investments Property Income Trust (SLI) has a long-term track record of market-beating returns achieved by investing in a diverse portfolio of commercial property in the UK. Minimal retail holdings and a bias to industrial property have proved beneficial to the fund. However, its...
The sluggish start to the year for listed property companies is hardly surprising given they were coming off a high base after the “Boris-bounce” following the general election in December. Topping the list was Triple Point Social Housing REIT. The group, along with its social housing peer Civitas Social Housing...
In this issue Performance – After beginning the year in the ascendancy, helped by easing tensions between the US and Iran, the outbreak of coronavirus in China pulled the breaks on risk assets, particularly hitting Asian and resource funds. Significant selling has taken place in early February (not included in this roundup), following...
Aberdeen New Dawn (ABD) has provided peer-group-beating performance during 2019 (an NAV total return of 18.4% versus a peer group average of 15.2%). Despite this, and also despite offering one of the lowest ongoing charges ratios amongst its peers, its discount to NAV remains broadly unchanged and is still, peculiarly,...
The second half of 2019 was a profitable time for investors in Shires Income (SHRS), as the trust extended its outperformance of both the UK market and the average competing fund. Investors also benefitted from the elimination of the discount as the share price rose to match the NAV. The...
Industrial property market – the gift that keeps on giving The industrial and logistics sector has been on a tremendous run over the past five years or so. It is hard to think now, given the current dynamics in the property industry, that retail and offices were the sectors of...
There was plenty to worry about in 2019, though this did not stop risk assets having a year that would have defied all but the most optimistic forecasters. The initial trigger came from the US, where the central bank performed a U-turn, abandoning planned interest rate increases. Gold also had...