Slight growth in Dutch mutual funds
23 July 2008

Written by Sophie Baker

Dutch mutual funds expanded their share in Dutch household investments from 54 per cent to 55 per cent in the first quarter 2008, according to De Nederlandsche Bank.

The Bank said the increase may be a turnaround in a declining trend, and sees the various measures taken since 2006 to improve the business climate for mutual funds in the Netherlands as beginning to take effect. However, the slim growth occurred under circumstances which saw Dutch households withdrawing €1bn from mutual funds in the first quarter, and a difficult time in the stock exchange. Total household investments consequently contracted by 11 per cent to €47bn.

However, the households’ Dutch mutual fund investments fell less markedly than the Luxembourg mutual fund investments, by nine per cent to €26bn and 15 per cent to €18bn respectively.