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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteUK retail funds recorded £894 million in net sales in August 2026, the tenth consecutive month of positive net retail sales, according to the Investment Association (IA). But that overall inflow masks a split: mixed asset and fixed income funds gained money, while equity funds saw net withdrawals.
Where did UK retail fund sales go in August?
The IA’s figures measure net retail fund sales: sales less redemptions in the reporting period. They are not a survey of every UK investor’s holdings or a record of why people bought or sold. The IA published its August figures on 1 October 2026 in its monthly fund flow release.
| Fund category | August 2026 net retail sales |
|---|---|
| Mixed asset | £749 million inflow |
| Fixed income | £656 million inflow |
| Equity | £478 million outflow |
| All retail funds | £894 million inflow |
These figures are reported by the IA. A positive overall total does not mean every fund category received inflows.
Which fund types attracted the most money?
Mixed asset led by asset class
Mixed asset funds received £749 million, the largest inflow of any asset class in August. The IA said mixed asset was the only asset class to record positive sales in every month of 2026 to date.
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Fixed income drew inflows
Fixed income funds took in £656 million. Within the IA’s sector figures, Strategic Bond was the best-selling sector, with £367 million in net sales; Mixed Bond received £209 million.
Equities remained in net outflow
Equity funds lost £478 million in August, a smaller outflow than the £2.0 billion recorded in July. That improvement did not mean every equity strategy lost money: equity index trackers received £1.1 billion in August.
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Did investors prefer trackers or active funds?
Across fund management styles, tracker funds attracted £1.6 billion in August, while active funds recorded £707 million in outflows, according to the IA. These are flows of money, not a measure of investment returns or evidence that one approach will perform better in future.
What happened in UK and global sectors?
UK equities recorded £615 million in net outflows. By contrast, IA Global and Global Emerging Markets each attracted just over £250 million. UK Gilts saw £183 million in outflows.
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →How does August compare with the wider trend?
The £894 million August inflow extended the positive monthly retail-sales run to ten consecutive months. In August 2025, the IA reported £1.8 billion in retail outflows. Miranda Seath, the IA’s Director of Market Insight & Fund Sectors, said August’s sales brought net retail sales for 2026 to date to £13.8 billion.
The IA also reported institutional net sales separately: these were -£499 million in August. Institutional flows are a different population and should not be combined with the retail figure or used to describe the retail streak.
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What might explain the pattern—and what can’t flows tell us?
The IA described investors as seeking mixed allocations and fixed income amid uncertainty. It also pointed to a worsening inflation outlook amid the prolonged Strait of Hormuz closure. Those are the IA’s explanations and context; the flow figures alone cannot establish individual investors’ motives or prove that these factors caused the buying and selling.
Monthly net sales show where money moved across reported fund categories, not what investors will do next. They also do not predict future fund performance.
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