One third of investment trusts made double-digit returns in 2024 amid troublesome year for sector

M&A and widening discounts

Only 138 out of 413 investment trusts made double digit returns for 2024, in what was a "record year for mergers and buybacks" within the sector.

Analysing the share price total return across the investment trust universe for the past 12 months, the top-performing vehicle was the Alstria Office REIT, which invests in office properties across Germany, and made 102.8%, according to data from FE fundinfo. This was followed by Livermore Investments Group (75.1%), while the Alpha Real trust came third with a 71.8% return, "a caveat though, as most of this came in December after a winding up and return of capital was announced", according to Ben Yearsley, director at Fairview Investing. "Baillie Gifford found some of the mojo with th...