Jeffrey Schumacher

Fund investors clearly lack faith in UK companies. There has been a net outflow from funds investing in UK equities over the past three years, with the €21 billion of outflows over the first three quarters of 2022 already setting a record. UK dividend stocks are being relatively spared by investors, but small-cap stocks, often more focused on the local economy, are being sold off in particular.

Factor investing, an investment approach that involves targeting specific drivers of return across asset classes, is attracting increasing interest from investors. Factors such as value, size and momentum have a long history in the investment world and have been extensively empirically researched and documented in the academic literature. Although there are different variations for these factors as well, the factor quality is perhaps the most debated, both in academia and in practice.

The momentum score of value stocks is on the rise as a result of the recovery of financials, energy and a strong performance of the basic materials sector. If value stocks become momentum stocks, this could give an extra boost to the style rotation that has started since November last year. 

Morningstar’s Jeffrey Schumacher discussed momentum investing in a contribution to Investment Officer and Fondsnieuws.