Bankers Investment underperforms at half-year amid AI disruption fears

Bankers Investment Trust PLC on Wednesday upped its second interim dividend but saw returns lag its benchmark during half-year trading as AI-disruption fears in February impacted performance.

The London-based global investor reported a net asset value total return of 3.7% for the six months ended April 30, while its benchmark, the FTSE World Index, returned 5.5% over the same period.

NAV per share grew 2.3% to 148.1p from 144.7p.

Bankers Investment said its portfolio’s regional allocation served as a positive contributor to performance during the period, namely its overweight allocation to Japan.

However, the investment trust said the two weeks of AI-disruption fears in mid-February were the key drivers of underperformance versus its benchmark.

Banker Investment has declared a second interim dividend of 0.707 pence, up from 0.686p the prior year.

Looking ahead, the investment trust noted concerns around the elevated oil price owing to the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, but noted that ‘exposure to resilient companies with the financial resources to invest in innovation can provide a buffer to these macro challenges.’

Shares in Bankers Investment were up 0.1% at 149.00 pence on Wednesday morning in London.

‘Given the current incumbent of the White House, we expect market volatility to remain elevated, albeit as we head into mid-term elections in the US later this year we expect a pivot back to focusing on domestic affairs. Geopolitical tensions should subside, with an expected framework for both a Middle Eastern and Russia/Ukraine settlement in the works, as well as President Trump’s recent visit to Beijing evidencing a greater recent push for negotiation and conciliation rather than confrontation,’ said Co-Fund Managers Alex Crooke and Richard Clode.

‘Against that backdrop the resiliency of the global economy and corporate profit growth should continue. However, with stock markets back to all-time highs we need to be mindful of valuations and the potential for pockets of hype with some of the impending megacap IPOs.’

Copyright 2026 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.