LONDON — Investors in property funds should wait up to six months before they can get their money back to avoid a stampede for the exit leading to widespread suspensions in rocky markets, Britain's Financial Conduct Authority proposed on Monday. UK-regulated open-ended property funds offer daily redemptions to entice investors, but nearly all those targeted by Monday's proposal are suspended following market volatility in March due to the pandemic, trapping more than $7.5 billion in assets. Policymakers have warned that property funds should not be viewed like a bank account that can be tapped at will, given they contain "illiquid" assets such as commercial real estate that can take several months to sell even in normal market conditions. Concerns over daily redemptions began when several property funds were suspended after Britain voted in June 2016 to leave the European Union, as investors pulled out money.

Source: International New York Times August 03, 2020 10:56 UTC