Smaller Companies

Funds investing in Japan, Europe and smaller companies were among the best performers in 2015 across sectors, but which strategies topped the chart and who struggled?

Follows success of UK income fund

Managed the trust for the last 12 years

Nimmo's trust top of sector over decade

Funds handed to Harry Nimmo

Ex-journalist Bates to be co-manager

Investment trusts allocating to UK equities benefitted from an election-fuelled bounce which helped them top the performance tables in Q2, according to data from broker Winterflood.

River & Mercantile Asset Management is soft closing Philip Rodrigs' UK Equity Smaller Companies fund following strong inflows during the past year.

Jupiter has promoted James Zimmerman to lead manager of its £60m UK Smaller Companies portfolio as Richard Curling steps back.

John MacDougall, manager of the Baillie Gifford Shin Nippon fund, explains how Japan's old corporate structure is being replaced with a new era of entrepreneurialism and high-growth focused start-ups