What can the UK funds industry learn from the US?

What can the UK funds industry learn from the US?

The US investment market often seems far ahead of its UK counterpart in terms of product development.

Take ETFs, for example. Launched in 1993 in the US, it took six years for the first ETF to be offered in Europe. Now, total assets under management in ETFs in the US have reached $1.8trn, compared to $450bn in Europe. Meanwhile, estimates suggest retail money accounts for 45% of assets in US-listed ETFs, while in Europe this figure is nearer 15%. According to Karl Dasher, Schroders’ head of North America, over the past few years more US investors have also been moving into smart beta strategies, but these alternatives are only just beginning to gain significant traction in the UK. At ...