H1 AUM +4% from quality manager with 8.6% yield

AUM increased 4% over H1-25 (1 Apr 24 – 30 Sep 24) to £22.7bn from £21.9bn on 31 Mar 24. It was a half-year of two quarters with Q1 AUM up by 7.4% (net inflows: +£644m, investment performance: +£978m), while a more challenging and volatile market environment saw Q2 AUM down 3.5% (net outflows: -£172m, investment performance: -£655m). The marginally negative net flows of Q2 (0.7% of AUM) were not a surprise for a period of investor nervousness, with UK investors withdrawing from equity funds in the latter part of the quarter (see page 2). And the negative investment performance of Q2 occurred in a period which saw an equity sell-off and a significant currency headwind on those assets held in US$. Polar’s reporting currency, GBP, strengthened...