Investment trusts with exposure to the property and healthcare sectors, as well as overseas markets were in fashion over the last month.
Among the most in demand were RIT Capital Partners (RCP), Tritax Big Box (BBOX), Biotech Growth (BIOG) and Templeton Emerging Markets (TEM).
ENHANCING WEALTH
RIT Capital Partners aims to protect and enhance shareholders wealth over the long term by taking advantage of market upturns and looking for capital protection on the downside.
If someone invested £1,000 at the funds inception in 1988, this would now be worth upwards of £30,000.
Its top ten holdings include Eisler Capital Fund, HCIF Offshore and BlackRock Frontiers. Over the last five years, RIT Capital Partners has returned an impressive 12.9% annually.
INCOME GROWTH
Traditionally a popular fund with retail investors, it is not surprising to see that Tritax Big Box is still a big hit.
It is a real estate investment trust that owns and rents large logistics facilities in the UK to well-known global companies such as Amazon and Tesco (TSCO).
With a portfolio value of £1.89bn, Tritax wants to provide a secure and growing income, as well as capital appreciation.
The strategy appears to be paying off as it has delivered an annual return of 14.2% over the last three years.
| 1 | RIT Capital Partners Ord |
| 2 | Finsbury Growth & Income Ord |
| 3 | Scottish Mortgage Ord |
| 4 | Woodford Patient Capital Trust |
| 5 | Tritax Big Box |
| 6 | Biotech Growth Ord |
| 7 | Murray International Ord |
| 8 | Foreign & Colonial Investment Trust Ord |
| 9 | Law Debenture Corporation Ord |
| 10 | Edinburgh Investment Ord |
BRAVE NEW WORLD
Managed by OrbiMed Capital, Biotech Growth seeks capital appreciation by investing in the global biotech industry.
Its biggest holdings include US-listed Celgene, Biogen and Amgen, although its smaller holdings Vertex and Jazz Pharmaceuticals were among the top contributors to the fund’s performance in March.
While the biotechnology sector can be risky, the investment trust has been able to overcome these challenges as it rewarded investors with a 23.4% annual return over the last five years.
EMERGING MARKETS EXPOSURE
Templeton Emerging Markets manager Carlos Hardenberg looks for businesses that derive a significant amount of their earnings from emerging markets.
The investment trust includes South Korean smartphone maker Samsung, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream seller and brand colossus Unilever (ULVR), as well as Chinese e-commerce firm Alibaba in its top ten.
Over the last five years, investors received a 4.8% return annually.
Other popular investment trusts include Jupiter European Opportunities (JEO), Worldwide Healthcare (WWH) and Fidelity China Special Situations (FCSS).
