How the funds measure up

EACH bank offers between three and five investment funds, ranging from low-risk to adventurous. They primarily invest in indextracking funds which helps to keep costs down.

For each bank, we have given details of the mid-range – or balanced – fund.

NATWEST

ITS five funds range from ‘ cautious’ to ‘daring’. They are all managed by Coutts and made up of bonds, equities and cash.

NatWest describes its balanced fund as ‘like the first dip in a lake. It may be colder and get your heart rate going, but there should be some beautiful views’. Its largest holding is Vanguard FTSE UK All Share Index Fund. This is comprised of all the companies listed in the UK.

If you had invested £5,000 at the fund’s launch in June 2016, it would be worth £6,758 today.

HSBC

ITS five funds are made up of cash, equities, bonds and property.

The largest holding in its Global Strategy Balanced Portfolio is HSBC American Index Fund. Its biggest equity holdings are Apple and Microsoft. A sum of £ 5,000 invested five years ago would be worth £7,800 today.

BARCLAYS

IT OFFERS five funds, all managed by Barclays Investment Solutions. Its mid- range fund is Barclays Wealth Global Markets 3 ( Balanced). Its risk level is described as like ‘riding a bike in the road, but still in the cycle lane’. It has 12 per cent in cash, 38 per cent bonds and 50 per cent in shares. If you had invested £5,000 five years ago, it would be worth £6,792 today.

SANTANDER

ITS four funds are named Multi Index fund 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Santander’s Multi Index Fund 2 has its largest holding in sterling corporate bonds (43 per cent), followed by UK equities (18 per cent). It will never invest more than half of its portfolio in global equities. The fund was launched in 2016. A sum of £5,000 invested three years ago would be worth £5,392 today.

LLOYDS BANK

ITS three ready-made funds are managed by Scottish Widows, which is part of Lloyds Banking Group. Managed Growth Fund 4 is made up of 49 per cent shares with the rest primarily in bonds and property. The fund was launched in September last year and its largest holding is Scottish Widows UK All Share Tracker.