Multi-manager funds up equity allocations as European funds find favour in Q2 2020

Global equities also show steady increase

Allocations to equities in balanced multi-manager funds increased in the second quarter of 2020, with European equities in particular winning back investors, as cash exposures reduced and fixed income investors favoured corporates over sovereigns.

Harrington Cooper's proprietary asset allocation tracker showed that equity allocations bounced back 3.5% in the period to 53.5%, following a dramatic fall in UK wholesale investors' allocations to equities in the first quarter of 2020 to the lowest level recorded since 2014. Allocations to European equities increased, at 15% more than the previous quarter, which Harrington Cooper attributed to attractive valuations among European growth managers. This was reflected in the list of most-held funds which saw the entrance of the BlackRock European Dynamic fund in second place, while the ...