The performance of UK investment trusts

Abstract

The Performance of 92 UK investment trusts was analysed over the period 1975 to 1993 using the Sharpe Treynor and Jensen measures of portfolio performance. A very high degree of correlation was found between the measures. Even without correction for transactions costs funds did not on average outperform the market, although a few individual funds appeared to do so. Fund rankings by the Sharpe measure showed significant intertemporal persistence, especially in the income-producing group of funds, which needs further investigation.