Defaqto, one of the UK’s most trusted sources of financial product and market intelligence, has identified the top 10 most recommended Multi-Asset investment solutions by value for the year to date to the end of Q3 2024.
Surprisingly, the top 10 has remained exactly the same compared with Q2, albeit there have been some positional changes within the top six positions, with three solutions climbing up a place and three dropping a place.
The most notable movement is that of the HSBC Global Strategy Balanced fund which has now ascended the top step, having continually moved up a place every quarter since the end of 2023. Dropping a place to second is the Vanguard LifeStrategy 80% Equity. The second positive move upwards is again from within the HSBC stable, with HSBC Global Strategy Dynamic rising to third place, replacing the Vanguard LifeStrategy 60% Equity which like its stablemate has dropped a place this quarter. The final solution to climb a place is the Artemis Monthly Distribution fund, rising to fifth from sixth as it changed places with the BNY Mellon Multi-Asset Balanced fund which dropped a place.
Thereafter, the four remaining places from seventh to tenth have shown no change. Interestingly, at the very top of the table, there is only the smallest of margins (.01%) between first and second in terms of percentage share within the top 10. Regarding overall percentage share of the top 10, HSBC is now the largest with 30.38%, up from 27.82% at the end of Q2, whilst Vanguard has fallen to 29.93% from 36.15% at the end of Q2. The only other provider represented twice is BNY Mellon who have seen their percentage share of the top 10 recommendations fall slightly from 15.68% at the end of Q2 to 14.54%.
| Rank | Proposition Name | Position end of Q2 2024 | Movement up/down | % Share of Top 10 |
| 1 | HSBC Global Strategy Balanced | 2 | +1 | 15.64 |
| 2 | Vanguard LifeStrategy 80% Equity | 1 | -1 | 15.63 |
| 3 | HSBC Global Strategy Dynamic | 4 | +1 | 14.74 |
| 4 | Vanguard LifeStrategy 60% Equity | 3 | -1 | 14.30 |
| 5 | Artemis Monthly Distribution | 6 | +1 | 8.75 |
| 6 | BNY Mellon Multi-Asset Balanced | 5 | -1 | 8.68 |
| 7 | BNY Mellon Multi-Asset Growth | 7 | – | 5.86 |
| 8 | Royal London Sustainable Diversified | 8 | – | 5.61 |
| 9 | VT AJ Bell Balanced | 9 | – | 5.46 |
| 10 | Vanguard SustainableLife 60-70% Equity | 10 | – | 5.28 |
The data is drawn from Defaqto Engage, the adviser research software used by more than 30% of advisers in the UK to help their clients make smarter financial decisions. It depicts the most popular multi-asset investment solutions chosen through the research software, by a representational cross section of the UK financial adviser market.
Andy Parsons, Insight Manager (Funds & DFM) at Defaqto, commented:
“Multi-asset or MPS – the debate continually rages on. For advisers though, the answer is undoubtedly that both can very easily co-exist and it is very much dependent on an individual clients’ personal circumstances. And whilst there is an abundance of choice within the multi-asset marketplace for advisers to choose from, the top 10 constituents have remained consistent, clearly indicating a preference for these within their investment propositions.”
Defaqto Engage consolidates all the information advisers need into one software solution, providing a comprehensive holistic service. It gives advisers the power to model a client’s financial objectives, capture risk profiles, conduct investment research, and oversee client reviews – all from one place.
Powered by Defaqto’s data, including more than 18,000 funds, and 2,700 DFM MPS portfolios, platforms and products, Defaqto Engage is recognised by advisers as a trusted source of financial product and market intelligence. Recommendations of £50bn annually go through the system.
More information about Defaqto Engage can be found at www.defaqto.com/solutions/engage
