Investment Trusts work similarly to Unit Trusts and OEICs in that they provide a means of pooling your money with other investors. They are however different in that they are publicly listed companies whose shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange and also in that they have a finite window of opportunity in which investors can subscribe rather than being open ended. The prices of shares in Investment Trusts will fluctuate according to investment demand and changes in the value of their underlying assets. They are therefore subject to the same types of risk associated with any product that invests money either directly or indirectly in the stock market but the level of risk depends on the trust’s strategy and the classes of assets held.
The Investment Trust Company may borrow to finance further investment (gearing). The use of gearing is likely to lead to increased volatility in the Net Asset Value (NAV), meaning that a relatively small movement, down or up, in the value of a company’s assets will result in a magnified movement, in the same direction, of that NAV.
A particular Investment Trust may invest in companies that are not listed on a stock exchange (unlisted investments). These can also be more volatile in their price fluctuations and harder to sell than listed shares.
THE VALUE OF INVESTMENTS AND THE INCOME FROM THEM MAY GO DOWN. YOU MAY NOT GET BACK THE ORIGINAL AMOUNT INVESTED.
SOME FUNDS WILL CARRY GREATER RISKS IN RETURN FOR HIGHER POTENTIAL REWARDS. INVESTMENT IN SMALLER COMPANY FUNDS CAN INVOLVE GREATER RISK THAN IS CUSTOMARILY ASSOCIATED WITH FUNDS INVESTING IN LARGER, MORE ESTABLISHED COMPANIES. ABOVE AVERAGE PRICE MOVEMENTS CAN BE EXPECTED AND THE VALUE OF THESE FUNDS MAY CHANGE SUDDENLY.
SHARES IN SMALLER COMPANIES AND EMERGING MARKETS ARE GENERALLY TRADED LESS FREQUENTLY THAN THOSE IN LARGER COMPANIES AND ESTABLISHED MARKETS. THIS MEANS THAT THERE MAY BE DIFFICULTY IN BOTH BUYING AND SELLING SHARES AND INDIVIDUAL SHARE PRICES MAY BE SUBJECT TO SHORT-TERM PRICE FLUCTUATIONS.
