FundCalibre - Investing on the go

Investing on the go gives you direct access to the people who manage your ISA and pensions savings. Our hosts will be interviewing finance professionals on everything from their successes and failures to current ideas and insights. At meetings, before events and even if we bump into them on the street, we'll grab five minutes with these experts to discuss how your own personal finances could be impacted by topics such as US elections, the move from petrol to electric vehicles, the growth in artificial intelligence and robots, and so much more. Our ultimate goal is to bring to life the world of investments and uncover new and exciting opportunities, all while inspiring you to invest and giving you the confidence and knowledge to make the right decisions. To do this we often ask the managers why they are invested in individual companies. This is for illustration only and should not be taken as a recommendation to buy or sell that stock. The fund manager may or may not still own these companies at the time of your listening. For more investment research visit us at www.fundcalibre.com and follow us on twitter and facebook @FundCalibre

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FundCalibre - Investing on the go

361. Has the UK small-cap winter finally thawed?

June 19, 2025 • Scott McKenzie

UK smaller companies have been unloved for years, but the tide might be turning. In this interview with Scott McKenzie, co-manager of the WS Amati UK Listed Smaller Companies fund, we discuss why the asset class has struggled, the early signs of improvement, and what could drive a long-term recovery. We explore volatility, valuations, the impact of government policies like the Mansion House Accord, and the outlook for AIM-listed stocks. With market sentiment shifting and opportunities re-emerging, now might be the time to revisit UK small-caps.

What’s covered in this episode:

Why should investors be optimistic today?
How Trump’s tariffs impacted the fund
Are more fund flows coming in?
The Mansion House Accord
Is the end of US exceptionalism good for UK companies?
The challenges and future of the AIM market
Cheap valuations equal more opportunity
The impact of non-UK investors in this space
Outlook for the next 12 months

More about the fund: An unconstrained portfolio, seeking structural UK growth businesses that can grow faster than the economy, WS Amati UK Listed Smaller Companies has a very solid investment framework which has consistently worked for 20 years. The fund is managed by a team of exceptionally experienced managers and few smaller companies funds can boast this level of resource.

Learn more on fundcalibre.com

Please remember, we’ve been discussing individual companies to bring investing to life for you. It’s not a recommendation to buy or sell. The fund may or may not still hold these companies at the time of listening. Elite Ratings are based on FundCalibre’s research methodology and are the opinion of FundCalibre’s research team only.