According to data from the AIC, the average investment trust discount to net asset value has widened from 12.2% at the end of 2022 to 14.5% as of 8 September 2023, while sector averages have generally widened. The exception is private equity, which narrowed from 25.1% to 4.5%, skewed by 3i's (III) dramatic swing from discount to premium.While this presents an opportunity to buy into parts of the m

Why the China reopening is a massive boon for BurberryRecent blowout results from rivals such as LVMH raise expectations for Burberry to do the sameTrading above the £25 level, shares in British luxury goods brand Burberry (BRBY) are testing all-time highs as Shares goes to press. But the trench coats-to-cashmere scarves seller will need to deliver an upbeat outlook statement with its full-year r

This week marks the start of a new chapter for the UK property sector with the completed merger of London's West End landlord Shaftesbury and rival Capco.Shaftesbury, which first listed in 1987, was formed by the Levy family as a vehicle to invest in areas such as Carnaby Street, Chinatown and Seven Dials, and brings to the marriage two million square feet of lettable space including over 600 cafe

- 'Sustained recovery' in trading and sentiment- Footfall above 2019 in Soho and Chinatown- Share price still at 2006 levelLondon-focused property investment trust Shaftesbury (SHB) posted a 28% increase in net property income for the year to September, saying it had seen a 'rapid rebound' in trading and footfall across its estate.Shares in the company, which have lost more than 40% this year, fir

Investors gave a distinctly luke-warm reception to news two of the largest London-focused REITs (real estate investment trusts) were in merger talks.The boards of Shaftesbury (SHB), a large West End landlord, and rival Capital & Counties Properties (CAPC) revealed they were in 'advanced discussions' regarding a potential all-share merger of the two firms.Shares in Shaftesbury dropped 3% to 560p wh

Various open-ended property funds suspended in March are now beginning to reopen but it could be a stop-start process and it looks like investors will face restrictions on their ability to trade in and out of the funds as new regulations are introduced by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).There is no easy fix to the fact that these funds look to offer investors the ability to buy and sell dail

Like all parts of the market the investment trusts space has been shaken up by coronavirus. As share prices and valuations have begun to settle back into place, many trusts have been left at wider and narrower than usual premiums and discounts to net asset value (NAV).In this article Shares has used data from Winterflood Securities to identify trusts which have diverged significantly from their 12

The idea of investing in UK property might make you fearful given political instability created by the upcoming general election and ongoing Brexit saga. But there is genuine merit in having exposure to UK property as part of a diversified portfolio given its enduring income appeal.We believe this exposure should be selective. In this article we identify four of our prime property picks, each of w

Sitting in a relatively unknown niche within the real estate investment trust (REIT) sector is Civitas Housing (CSH) which provides secure housing on long-term 25-year leases to tenants who fall under the Government's supported living criteria.An integral part of the UK healthcare sector is facilitating care for individuals with significant long-term care needs. It enables people to live fulfillin

A REIT or real estate investment trust is a vehicle which owns, operates or finances income-generating property.The so-called REIT regime came into force in January 2007. By February of that year nine of the UK's big listed property firms had converted to REIT status and more than a decade on, the number of UK REITs is pushing in the direction of three figures.There has been an acceleration in the

Conversion shares or C shares are issued by investment trusts to raise money and allow investors to subscribe for new shares without negatively affecting existing shareholders.It will take time for the manager of a trust to deploy fresh capital and during that period, the cash element would likely generate limited returns, thereby depressing performance. This is known as 'cash drag'.By raising mon

He is unlikely to have appreciated it, or cared, at the time, but Mark Twain's advice to 'Buy land, they aren't making it any more' has long since formed the basis of the investment case for UK commercial property, either via quoted stocks or dedicated funds.Whether property is right for an investor's portfolio will depend upon their overall strategy, target returns, time horizon and appetite for

Investment trust Triple Point Social Housing REIT (SOHO) wants to upgrade its listing category so it would be eligible for inclusion in FTSE indices.It also wants to raise up to £200m after its investment manager identified new potential investments.Triple Point invests in social housing assets across the UK with a particular focus on supported housing. Its assets are subject to inflation-adjuste

Investment trusts raised a record amount of money in 2017 at £11.9bn, up 75% on the previous year according to research by stockbroker Numis.The bulk of the money came from existing investment trusts issuing new shares to raise more cash, amounting to just under £8bn. The remainder predominantly came from new investment trusts floating on the stock market as a way of raising money to fund their

A new vehicle is launching on the London Stock Exchange which will enable investors to gain access to the pan-European logistics market for the first time.The £250m IPO (initial public offering) offer for Aberdeen Standard European Logistics Income is open to retail investors until 11 December. We are enthused by its proposition and rate the shares as a 'buy'.The shares are expected to commence t

The FTSE 100 is struggling for direction, down a handful of points at 7,345.88 as the fall-out from last week's US strikes in Syria continues.Banking group Barclays (BARC) dips 0.6% to 214p as its chief executive Jes Staley is issued with a formal written reprimand by his employers for his attempts to identify a secret whistleblower within the company. Staley is to have his bonus cut and details a

Esure set for premium dropLower premium growth is expected when insurer Esure (ESUR) releases its third quarter results on 11 November. Rising personal injury claims in the first half made the Sheilas' Wheels and Gocompare.com owner pledged to rise prices, which should lead to a declining share of the motor market. (MD)Fulham Shore's grillingReal Greek and Franco Manca operator Fulham Shore (FUL:A

Richard Kirby does not like excitement. The fund manager of F&C Commercial Property Trust (FCPT) works to avoid it. The conservative approach he takes to managing the balance sheet ensures that running the trust is without major shocks.'This fund was not set up to be high risk,' Kirby says. 'The last thing our shareholders want is volatility. We have a measured, disciplined approach to running the

The restaurant sector is set to benefit from a recovery in household disposable income this year, driven by higher employment, historically low mortgage costs, falling petrol prices and benign cost inflation. Restaurant Group (RTN) looks a clear winner of this trend but it's also worth keeping an eye on its lesser-known counterpart Fulham Shore (FUL:AIM).Eating out tends to accelerate when the eco

At first glance Brian Bickell, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Shaftesbury (SHB), might seem to lack ambition given his aim to keep the company squarely focused on London's West End. But on closer inspection it becomes clear that this single-track strategy is a very reliable property niche generating a highly predictable income.Serving an all-year round tourist industry and given the independ