International traders personal 66% of UK-listed shares, evaluation reveals

International traders now personal 66% of UK-listed shares, up from 64% in 2019, in accordance with evaluation of the London market that reveals a steep decline in home holdings by British shareholders.

Europeans have elevated their holdings in firms quoted on the London Inventory Change probably the most within the final two years, forward of US traders and rising curiosity from Chinese language-based funds, mentioned the investor relations consultancy agency Orient Capital.

British pension funds personal solely 2% of the London inventory market following a steep decline in recent times.

In 2013 British pension funds owned 8% of London-listed shares by worth, however over eight years that has dropped by three-quarters.

US traders had been the largest holders, particularly US mutual funds, which now personal extra UK shares than are held by UK unit trusts.

Alison Owers, world chief govt of Orient Capital, mentioned: “The UK inventory market, in widespread with main inventory markets all over the world, is dominated by large multinationals whose operations span each continent and compete with world friends, wherever they occur to be listed.

“There may be due to this fact no logic for traders solely to think about firms that occur to be listed at dwelling,” she mentioned.

Efforts to impose company governance guidelines on UK-based firms have come beneath heavy fireplace after a collection of solely gentle protests by shareholders in response to claims of extreme pay and dangerous company behaviour.

Company governance campaigners have argued that the rising variety of possession permits board administrators to flee criticism when they’re topic to votes at annual common conferences, resulting in proposals for employees on boards.

Orient mentioned that simply as overseas traders have come to dominate shareholdings in London, so UK traders are diversifying internationally, with fund flows into world unit trusts far outweighing these into UK-focused funds.

John Ralfe, a pension professional, mentioned the report underscored the pattern for fund managers to look globally when investing pension financial savings.

However he mentioned the low degree of share possession in UK companies by British pension funds didn’t imply they weren’t investing in UK companies by different means.

“They’re simply doing it in different methods. They’re lending to British companies over very long time horizons by shopping for their bonds and by investing in infrastructure funds,” he mentioned.

European traders have elevated their holdings of UK shares probably the most within the final two years, and now declare a 19% stake – up from a post-Brexit referendum low of 15% in 2019.

China’s cash-rich public firms have additionally invested closely in London. They’ve greater than doubled their holdings from 0.7% in 2019 to 1.7% in 2021, mentioned Orient Capital.

International traders are most keen on UK-listed mining, healthcare and client items firms.

Owers mentioned: “As UK traders have appeared additional afield to search out one of the best alternatives and to maximise the advantages of diversification, so overseas traders have come to our shores.”