FCA warns of asset manager failings on closet trackers and soft closed funds

Thematic review showed most funds correctly marketed

Daniel Flynn
clock • 3 min read

The Financial Conduct Authority has urged asset managers to ensure correct management and marketing of funds, after finding several closet trackers and soft closed funds with unclear product descriptions and inadequate governance.

In a thematic review of 23 funds titled 'Meeting investors' expectations', the FCA found that although most UK funds were operated in line with investors' expectations, three so-called 'closet trackers' did not clearly indicate the investment strategy was constrained, with limited freedom in relation to a benchmark. It also found two other funds had material passive holdings that were not adequately disclosed. The regulator also notes documents for one fund used jargon that a retail investor would be unlikely to understand. The review also looked at four funds which were not active...

To continue reading this article...

Join Investment Week for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, analysis and opinion from the investment industry, including the Sustainable Hub covering fund news from the ESG space
  • Get ahead of regulatory and technological changes affecting fund management
  • Important and breaking news stories selected by the editors delivered straight to your inbox each day
  • Weekly members-only newsletter with exclusive opinion pieces from leading industry experts
  • Be the first to hear about our extensive events schedule and awards programmes

Join now

 

Already an Investment Week
member?

Login

More on Asset Managers

Henry Adefope (pictured), director at Tavistock Communications

Should boutique asset managers care about corporate PR?

One in six set to disappear in next four years

Henry Adefope
clock 17 October 2023 • 4 min read
The scheme meeting and vote has been delayed to 13 December 2023.

Woodford investors to vote in single class as scheme of arrangement vote delayed

Sanction hearing 18 January

James Baxter-Derrington
clock 12 October 2023 • 3 min read
'Although average returns in 2022 were negative, there was significant variation within these results.'

Sovereign wealth funds suffer negative returns for first time in a decade

Invesco research

Cristian Angeloni
clock 10 July 2023 • 3 min read
Trustpilot