Investors lose appetite for equity funds

Tension in the markets caused by unrest in North Africa and the Middle East, the earthquake in Japan and tensions in the sovereign debt markets has triggered caution among equity investors resulting in net inflows of only EUR 5 bn compared with EUR 39 bn in the last quarter of 2010. Looking at individual country trends, five countries reporting net sales in excess of EUR 1 billion (Luxembourg EUR 24 billion, Ireland EUR 13 billion, Switzerland EUR 6 billion, United Kingdom EUR 5 billion, Norway EUR 5 billion and Sweden EUR 1 billion). Elsewhere in Europe, UCITS domiciled in France suf...