How big and varied is the unit trust and OEIC industry?
There are close to 2,000 unit trusts and OEICs available from over 130 different fund management groups, investing in around 30 different fund sectors. There are several sectors dedicated to UK shares, for example, including UK Smaller Companies, UK Equity Income and UK All Companies. There are also funds offering a spread of high yield corporate bonds, or lower-risk investment grade bonds, or a blend of the two. Then there are the overseas markets, with funds dedicated to important areas such as Europe, the US or the Far East, others concentrating on emerging markets, and others giving a global spread. There are also specialist sectors such as technology and healthcare, as well as a few funds investing in property, some directly and some into property shares. The volatility of each fund will obviously depend on the type of underlying investments that are held within it.
