18th Apr 2016 16:43
LONDON (Alliance News) - Jupiter Dividend & Growth Trust PLC on Monday said its net asset value increased by 6.9% in 2015, beating its FTSE All-Share Index benchmark, which decreased by 2.5% in capital terms during the year.
"Looking back at 2015, the big positive was the continued support offered to financial assets by central banks, although their ultra-low interest rate policies seem to have had little discernible effect on economic growth, which remained sub par. The big negative was China and any countries/ sectors supplying it with raw materials," Chairman Martin Boase said in a statement.
"Developed economies remain hampered by heavy debt burdens, a lack of company investment and wage growth. The global economy remains unbalanced, sovereign default risk in some emerging markets is rising and growth prospects for 2016 appear unhealthily dependent on the fortunes of the world's second largest economy," Boase said.
"Although the collapse in the oil price should be highly beneficial to consumers and much of the corporate sector, it has continued to fuel fears of deflation and push down government bond yields to zero and beyond. But, for the moment, your fund manager remains confident that prospects for the UK are set fair and should continue to be so for the next 12-18 months. Your company's equity positions are in companies which are well positioned for further growth and which are believed have the potential to deliver consistent performance and rising dividends," the chairman added.
By Samuel Agini; [email protected]; @samuelagini
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