UK investors fall back on domestic bias amid trade war uncertainty

Confidence in North America still highest overall

Conviction in UK growth increased by 7% in February as domestic clients sought comfort in familiarity during weeks of heightened geopolitical uncertainty.

According to research from Hargreaves Lansdown, Emerging Markets or Japan recorded double-digit falls in investors' confidence (-14% and -11%, respectively), with North America down 13%. HL's head of fund research Victoria Hasler said the changes came against the backdrop of a newly installed US president, coupled with geopolitical instability, conflict and the "potential for trade wars". Hargreaves Lansdown's Derren Nathan: The frontrunner in the race to be next $4trn company In Hasler's view, as the macro became increasingly uncertain, "investors have retrenched into what is most...