UK's fund managers post higher assets under management as fund flows improve

(Reuters) -British asset managers Rathbones and Liontrust reported a rise in assets under management on Wednesday in the December quarter compared with the three months prior, helped by better fund flows.

After witnessing robust asset growth during the pandemic, fund managers are now struggling with weak investor sentiment, volatile stock markets amid fears over raging inflation and potential recession.

Rathbones reported total funds under management and administration (FUMA) of 60.2 billion pounds ($74.16 billion) as of Dec. 31, compared with 57.9 billion pounds on Sept. 30.

London-based Rathbones reported total group net flows of 145 million pounds in the fourth quarter, compared with 67 million pounds in the third quarter.

Meanwhile, fund manager Liontrust Asset Management reported net outflows of 632 million pounds in the three months to December-end, an improvement from the 1.6 billion pounds in outflows in the prior quarter.

Liontrust reported 3% quarter-over-quarter rise in total assets under management and advice to 32.6 billion pounds. ($1 = 0.8118 pounds)

(Reporting by Aby Jose Koilparambil and Amna Karimi in Bengaluru; Editing by Savio D'Souza and Rashmi Aich)