Pensions assets managed by the13 members of the Irish Association of Investment Managers, rose by just 1.1% in 2000 to Ir£48.22bn. This includes not just assets in segregated accounts but those held in insurance policies and unit trusts.

Segregated accounts at Ir£24.54bn accounted for the largest single tranche of pensions assets and these registered a small decline of 0.1% in the year. The strongest growing pensions area were unit-linked assets which rose by 6.8% to Ir£12.94bn. Assets in pensions endowment policies increased to Ir£5.59bn, a rise of 4%. Unit trusts pension investments shrank by 4.2% to Ir£5.15bn.

The total assets managed by IAIM members for Irish residents amounted Ir£75bn at year-end. These grew by just 1.5% in 2000. The overall flat results are attributed by the IAIM to the poor market conditions last year.

The area making best progress in the year were funds of charities and religious groups, which rose by 5.6% to £1.69bn. Private clients assets increased by 5% to £1.38bn, the bulk of their investments - amounting to Ir£1.14bn - being in unit trusts. These rose by 5.3%, while the Ir£248m in private client segregated accounts saw a 3.7% increase.

The assets managed in Ireland for non-Irish residents by IAIM members rose by 8% last year to £119bn, bringing the total assets managed by members to Ir£194bn. The bulk of the investments at year-end were in equities (59%); Irish equities accounted for 18%, and euro ex-Ireland for 17%, with non-euro at 25% of total assets.

Fixed income made up 29%, comprising 9% Irish, 17% other euro and 3% outside the Euro-zone. While 6% of assets were in cash, this was split equally between Irish and other euro, while 5% in property was all in Irish assets.

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