January’s most widely bought and sold funds

Terry Smith’s Fundsmith Equity continued to be the most popular fund for new investment among Charles Stanley Direct customers in January. The £19bn behemoth continues to attract inflows at a rapid pace, with investors attracted to its high-conviction, quality growth style and the straightforward but effective approach adopted by the manager.

Another well-known global equity fund, Lindsell Train Global Equity, was widely purchased, while Artemis Global Income remained a common option for exposure to high yielding global stocks. JOHCM UK Equity Income continued to be a firm favourite for income-seeking investors wishing to allocate to UK equities and an uplift in interest in UK smaller companies saw Merian UK Smaller companies make the top ten.

Investors choosing a passive or tracker route prioritised Legal & General US Index for allocating specifically to US equities, while Fidelity Index World was the most popular option for low-cost global equity exposure.

Funds in Vanguard’s passive LifeStrategy range were once again popular with those wishing to take a balanced investment approach encompassing both equities and bonds. These offer cost-efficient passive exposure to diversified portfolios and automatically rebalance to maintain a specific asset allocation.

Among the most sold funds were several widely held investments, likely a result of general trading activity or profit taking. Global and US index trackers, as well as Fundsmith Equity and Lindsell Train funds, were among the most offloaded investments during a mixed period for global markets.

Remember, although certain funds have been popular with our customers, this does not imply that you should follow suit. Any investment you choose should meet with your own personal circumstances and objectives, taking into consideration your existing portfolio.

Table: The top ten fund buys (in terms of number of trades) through Charles Stanley Direct in January 2020. Listed alphabetically. Does not include regular savings.

Artemis Global Income

Fidelity Index US

Fidelity Index World

Fundsmith Equity

Legal & General US Index

Lindsell Train Global Equity

Merian UK Smaller Companies

Vanguard LifeStrategy 100% Equity

Vanguard LifeStrategy 60% Equity

Vanguard LifeStrategy 80% Equity

Table: The top ten fund sells (in terms of number of trades) through Charles Stanley Direct in January 2020.  Listed alphabetically.

Artemis Global Income

Fidelity Index World

Fundsmith Equity

HSBC American Index

L&G US Index Trust

Lindsell Train Global Equity

Lindsell Train UK Equity

Merian UK Smaller Companies

Stewart Asia Pacific Leaders

Vanguard LifeStrategy 80% Equity

Past performance is not a reliable guide to future returns. This website is not personal advice based on your circumstances. No news or research item is a personal recommendation to deal. Investment decisions in fund and other collective investments should only be made after reading the Key Investor Information Document or Key Information Document, Supplementary Information Document and Prospectus. If you are unsure of the suitability of your investment please seek professional advice.