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Record October Equity Outflows Reach £3.6bn on Budget Jitters and Tech Valuation Fears

Risk aversion is pushing flows to cash vehicles before possible UK tax changes.

Overview

  • Calastone data show £3.6 billion exited global equity funds in October, the fifth straight month of withdrawals and £7.3 billion over the four months to October.
  • UK-focused equity funds saw £1.2 billion in net outflows in October, while global funds shed a record £911 million and North American funds lost £649 million in their third-worst month on record.
  • Roughly half of October’s equity outflows rotated into safer assets, including a record £955 million into money‑market funds and £589 million into fixed income funds.
  • Calastone’s Edward Glyn pointed to two drivers: nerves over elevated US equity prices and concern about the 26 November budget’s tax implications.
  • Policy uncertainty includes Treasury work on capital gains reforms, with reports of a potential exit tax and rate alignment, alongside investor unease about a possible AI-driven tech correction.