ISA investors seeking yield

Alliance Trust Savings, a leading UK financial services provider, has published the results of its quarterly ‘Alliance Trust ISA Ranking1' for the second quarter of 2008/9 tax year. The Alliance Trust ISA Ranking lists the most popular investment trusts that private investors have chosen for their ISA through Alliance Trust Savings. The ranking excludes investments in Alliance Trust PLC, due to its disproportionate amount of holdings.

The latest ranking shows investors' top choice is Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust which has moved up one place compared to the previous ranking. Last quarter's number one, RIT Capital Partners, has since dropped two positions to number three. The biggest mover in the second quarter was Lowland Investment Company which moved up 12 places to number six in the ranking. Moving up five places, Temple Bar Investment Trust is now ranked at number four.

Seven trusts that were not in the previous quarter's ranking made it into the latest Top 20. Among these were Foreign & Colonial Investment Trust, Edinburgh Investment Trust and Monks Investment Trust.

Commenting on the latest Top 20, Alan Brierley, Director - Investment Companies at Collins Stewart, said: "The list reflects a consistent interest in equity income products, with six UK income growth and two international income growth trusts featuring. Within the UK income growth category, newcomer Edinburgh Investment Trust announced the appointment of Invesco Perpetual as manager in early September. Foreign & Colonial Commercial Property makes an interesting appearance which may also reflect an interest in yield. Global Growth trusts remain popular as core portfolio investments."

Malcolm Dodds, Business Development Manager at Alliance Trust Savings, said, "This quarter's ranking appears to mirror the volatility of financial markets with more new entrants and movements in the list than we've seen for some time. It also reflects investors' desire to take advantage of widening yields as they shifted their asset allocation towards income orientated funds.

Interestingly, across our platform, we saw the value of investment trust sales fall to lows last seen in 2006, which resulted in near record net purchases over the period. Once again we saw the importance of our online service, which was responsible for 50% of all monies invested in investment trusts in the Top 20 over the period, and this is a trend we expect to continue over the coming years."

Clients in the Alliance Trust Stocks and Shares ISA can pick from around 2,000 investment choices including hundreds of investment trusts, as well as unit trusts, OEICs, equities, gilts and other fixed income investments.