New Star Investment Trust PLC: Half-Year Financial Highlights

New Star Investment Trust PLC reported its unaudited results for the six months ending 31st December 2025. The company aims for capital growth and income, achieving a 9.13% total return. Net assets increased to £130.9 million, an 8.05% rise, with the net asset value per Ordinary share climbing to 184.29p. The share price, up 12.7%, closed at 124.00p.

The company declared an interim dividend of 1.70p per share. Despite trading at a significant discount to NAV, the board monitors the situation closely. The ongoing Middle East conflict and US policies are expected to impact inflation and market stability. Overall, the company maintains a positive equity outlook, favoring European and emerging markets over US stocks.

Portfolio highlights include strong performances from Asian and emerging market funds. Polar Capital Global Technology, focusing on AI enablers, rose 36.66%. Conversely, Indian equities underperformed, affecting related investments. The outlook anticipates continued geopolitical tensions, potentially impacting monetary policies and inflation rates globally.