M&G Investments to resume trading in property fund

M&G Investments is to resume trading in its property fund after suspending it in July due to market turmoil triggered by the Brexit vote.

M&G Investments is led by Anne Richards, formerly of Aberdeen Asset Management. Picture: Ian Georgeson

The asset manager said trading would continue in its M&G Property Portfolio and its feeder fund from midday on 4 November.

M&G had followed Aviva Investors and Standard Life by enforcing a temporary suspension on its property portfolio on 5 July after witnessing high levels of uncertainty in the UK commercial property market following the EU referendum result.

William Nott, chief executive of M&G Securities, said it had taken the decision to suspend the fund because it was “the only way to protect the interests of investors” from the “very unusual circumstances” in the wake of the referendum vote.

He added: “Suspension created an environment more akin to normal conditions, allowing us time to choose the most appropriate assets to sell at the right price in order to preserve the integrity and future of the fund.

“As such, the fund manager has kept higher-quality assets while reducing the exposure to assets deemed riskier than their prime counterparts, putting the portfolio in a good position for any further volatility that may be experienced in the lead up to Brexit.”

M&G said 58 properties had now been sold, exchanged or placed under offer for £718 million as confidence returned to the market.

The M&G Property Portfolio will invest in 119 commercial properties in retail, industrial and office sectors on behalf of retail investors.

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