Analysis from portfolio tracking and performance reporting platform, Sharesight, shows strong evidence UK investors are ‘returning home’ this year, with an increased uptick in local investment. Sharesight data shows a near-20% increase in UK-based investment year on year as UK-listed assets accounted for 55.2% of UK investor buy trades in May 2026, up from 46.4% in May 2025, with investors balancing home-market confidence with continued exposure to US tech and global ETFs. Investors are favouring names like Natwest, Lloyd’s, and Centrica. However, the UK has always been a global investment marketplace. 70% of the revenue generated by FTSE listed companies is derived overseas. Also, most ETF investors use these vehicles as a way to access international markets and themes. So what this means is that the UK remains a competitive market for both the corporate headquarters and talent. Sharesight has revealed new analysis of UK investor behaviour, showing that buy trades among UK investors have shifted back towards UK-listed assets over the past year. Key findings from Sharesight’s analysis include: UK-listed assets accounted for 55.2% of UK investor buy trades in May 2026, compared with 46.4% in May 2025.Rest-of-world assets accounted for 44.8% of buy trades in May 2026, down from 53.6% in May 2025.The UK versus rest-of-world buy trade ratio moved from 0.87 in May 2025 to 1.23 in May 2026, indicating a shift from overseas-led buying to UK-led buying.The most bought assets among male investors included Legal & General, iShares Physical Gold ETC, NVIDIA, Microsoft, Aviva and BP.The most bought assets among female investors included NVIDIA, Amazon, BP, Broadcom, Microsoft and Barclays.The most held ETFs among UK investors included Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF, Vanguard FTSE All-World UCITS ETF, Vanguard FTSE All-World High Dividend Yield UCITS ETF and Invesco EQQQ Nasdaq-100 UCITS ETF. The findings are based on Sharesight’s proprietary UK investor data and provide a mid-year snapshot of how retail investors are positioning their portfolios in 2026. One of the clearest trends is the shift back towards UK-listed assets. In May 2025, UK-listed assets accounted for 46.4% of UK investor buy trades, compared with 53.6% for rest-of-world assets. By May 2026, this had reversed, with UK-listed assets accounting for 55.2% of buy trades and rest-of-world assets falling to 44.8%. However, while this points to renewed interest in UK-listed assets, the data also shows that UK investors are not turning inward entirely. US technology stocks remain prominent across the most bought assets by gender, while the most held ETFs among UK investors include funds offering exposure to the S&P 500, global equities, emerging markets and the Nasdaq-100. Speaking on the latest release, Doug Morris, CEO at Sharesight, commented: “UK investors are showing signs of renewed interest in domestic markets, but this is not a simple story of investors abandoning global exposure. What the data shows is a more nuanced picture. “More buy trades are moving into UK-listed assets, but many of the most popular ETFs still provide exposure to global markets, US equities and major international indices. In other words, investors may be buying through UK-listed instruments while still building portfolios with a global outlook.” As investors reflect on the first half of 2026, Sharesight’s data points to a more complex phase of portfolio construction. UK investors appear to be balancing renewed interest in familiar domestic assets with continued demand for international growth, technology exposure and diversified ETF strategies. The analysis also shows notable differences in the most bought assets among male and female investors. Among male investors, the top bought asset was Legal & General, followed by iShares Physical Gold ETC, NVIDIA, Microsoft, Aviva and BP. Among female investors, NVIDIA was the most bought asset, followed by Amazon, BP, Broadcom, Microsoft and Barclays. This suggests that while both male and female investors are buying a mix of UK and US assets, female investors’ top ten buy trades showed particularly strong exposure to US-listed technology companies, including NVIDIA, Amazon, Broadcom, Microsoft, Apple and Meta. Sharesight’s analysis also highlights the continued importance of ETFs in UK investor portfolios. The most held ETFs among UK investors included Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF, Vanguard FTSE All-World UCITS ETF, Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF Dist, Vanguard FTSE All-World High Dividend Yield UCITS ETF, Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF and Invesco EQQQ Nasdaq-100 UCITS ETF. Sharesight says this demonstrates that the distinction between domestic and international investing is becoming less straightforward. A UK investor may buy a UK-listed ETF, but the underlying exposure may still be heavily global or US-focused. This creates a greater need for investors to understand not only where an asset is listed, but what markets, sectors and currencies it actually exposes them to. Mr. Morris added: “The rise of ETFs means investors need to look beyond the listing country. A holding may sit on a UK exchange, but the exposure underneath it could be US equities, global markets, emerging markets or a specific sector such as technology. “That matters because diversification is no longer just about the number of holdings in a portfolio. Investors need to understand where their exposure really sits, whether they are concentrated in certain markets, and how different assets are contributing to performance and risk.” The findings suggest that UK retail investing is entering a more nuanced phase. While buy trades have shifted back towards UK-listed assets, UK investors continue to use global ETFs, US technology stocks and international market exposure as part of their broader portfolio strategy. NoYesInvestment16 Jun, 2026