Most-popular funds, trusts and shares in the 2018/19 tax year

We reveal what investors were buying on the interactive investor platform in the year to 5 April 2019.

The 2018/2019 tax year saw investors sticking with the big names when it came to funds. Fundsmith Equity took the interactive investor ISA crown as the most-bought fund, followed by Lindsell Train Global Equity.

It was a similar story in the investment trust sector, with industry stalwarts Scottish Mortgage (LSE:SMT) and City of London (LSE:CTY) in first and second place, although standing out from the crowd in third position was a technology trust, Allianz Technology Trust (LSE:ATT). 

Illustrating further Nick Train's Midas touch, Finsbury Growth & Income (LSE:FGT) was the fourth most-bought investment trust (as well as managing Finsbury Growth & Income, Train is also co-manager of Lindsell Train Global Equity). 

The most-bought UK stocks featured usual suspects, Lloyds Banking Group (LSE:LLOY), Vodafone (LSE:VOD) and BP (LSE:BP.), while the most-bought international shares showed that investors' love affair with technology is far from over: four of the five FAANG stocks featured in the top five. 

Moira O'Neill, Head of Personal Finance, interactive investor, says: "The 2018/19 ISA top picks show a strong element of investors sticking with solid, tried and tested names and brands. 

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"Among funds and investment trusts, it is those with a clear, well communicated strategy, combined with strong long-term performance, that time and again attract the greatest share of the pie. This is equally the case when it comes to exchange traded products, where Vanguard accounts for four out of the top five. They make it look so easy, but with the same names appearing time and again, many would like to know the secret. 

"There's an interesting juxtaposition when it comes to direct shares. For UK shares, investors are tending to stick to household names with attractive yields, whereas when it comes to international shares, they are going for tech heavy, but dividend-lite household names." 

Dzmitry Lipski, Investment Analyst, interactive investor, says: "When it comes to funds and trusts, active high conviction managers are dominating investor selections, with the exception of one passive fund - the Vanguard LifeStrategy 80% Equity Fund. 

"Among fund picks, the most popular funds tend to have a global theme, but investment trust top picks have an equal split between global and UK Funds. This is arguably a vote of confidence in the pedigree of the UK trusts and managers. City of London Investment Trust is a jewel in the crown of the investment trust sector and has raised its dividend each year for over half a century. Combining consistent long-term outperformance with a capital preservation mindset, manager Job Curtis has managed the fund for longer than ISAs have even been in existence – an impressive 27 years. 

"We also rate Finsbury Growth & Income highly, and manager Nick Train also has a long track record with this trust – he is in his nineteenth year and has served shareholders well."

Funds

Investment trusts

UK Equity

International Equity

ETPs

Source: interactive investor