A definitive guide to the sector
The Investment Trusts Handbook is an annual educational guide to the investment trust sector. Running to over 300 pages of text and data, and now in its ninth edition, it is a comprehensive and must-have companion for anyone interested in understanding what were once called “the City’s best-kept secret”, but are now increasingly popular with private investors. Investment trusts are the connoisseur’s choice for creating diversified global portfolios and accessing specialised investment areas such as technology, infrastructure, healthcare and renewable energy.
The 2026 edition of the Handbook was published in December 2025 and can be ordered here, including the free ebook offer. The PDF version of this edition can be downloaded here.
About the Handbook
The Investment Trusts Handbook is expertly edited by well-known author and professional investor Jonathan Davis, founder and editor of the Money Makers newsletter and podcast. It is an editorially independent educational publication, available through bookshops and extensively online. Described in the media as “truly the definitive guide to the sector”, more than 50,000 copies of the Handbook have been sold or downloaded since launch.
With expert contributions from around 20 different authors, including analysts, fund managers and investment writers, plus more than 80 pages of detailed data and analysis, including performance figures, trust comings and goings and fund manager histories, the latest edition of the handbook is an indispensable companion for anyone looking to invest in the investment trust sector.
Contributors in the 2026 edition include: Mark Atkinson, Abbas Barkhordar, John Baron, Alan Bartlett, Alan Brierley, James Carthew, Ben Conway, Richard Curling, Alex Davies, Simon Elliott, Kirsty Gibson, Hugh Gimber, Nick Greenwood, Peter Hewitt, Alastair Laing, Anthony Leatham, Andrew McHattie, Charlotte Morris, Gaurav Narain, Paul Niven, Daniel Summerland, Tom Treanor, Ben Williams, Joe Winkley, Andrew Worne, Alex Wright.
The Investment Trusts Handbook is supported by a number of organisations & trusts, including Fidelity International, India Capital Growth, J.P. Morgan Asset Management, Pantheon International, River UK Micro Cap, Schroders, and Alliance Witan. They share our interest in spreading awareness and understanding of the investment trust sector as a source of wealth accumulation.
The Money Makers newsletter
Our weekly subscription newsletter, exclusively delivered to members of the Money Makers Circle, is a comprehensive summary of all the news and developments that are likely to concern you if you are an investor in investment trusts. The newsletter is emailed out to your inbox every weekend. If you are interested in independent research and information – we don’t offer sponsored content, or take adverts – this could be the answer to your needs.
All nine editions of the Investment Trust Handbook
Reviews of the Handbook
“The Handbook has become the Wisden of the Investment Trust world – trusted and illuminating. Jonathan Davis brings his considerable experience and knowledge to bear as he guides investors through the myriad developments across the sector. An indispensable guide for anyone interested in prospering from investment trusts. I cannot recommend it highly enough.”
Simon Elliott, Managing Director, JP Morgan Asset Management
“A clear and comprehensive guide to a sector every intelligent investor needs to know about”
Martin vander Weyer, Business Editor of the Spectator.
“For detailed practical investing advice, Jonathan Davis has just produced his latest edition of the Investment Trusts Handbook… And if one feature of our coming bear market is that we will encounter opportunities to pick up good trusts at wide discounts to their net asset value, you might as well get ahead of the knowledge game now.”
Merryn Somerset Webb, Editor-in-chief, MoneyWeek writing in the Financial Times
“The handbook is headed up by editor Jonathan Davis. He is a prolific stock market commentator and the author of three books… A former columnist for The Independent and the Financial Times, he is also a senior advisor to wealth manager Saunderson House and a non-executive director of the Jupiter UK Growth Trust. Davis himself contributes to the introduction to the book, as well as a section in the Investment Trust Basics chapter, before letting several experienced industry professionals give their own expert guidance.”
Master Investor
“Investment trusts are steadily gaining profile and traction among private investors, so it’s very good to see the latest edition of Jonathan Davis’s wide-ranging and insightful guide to the world of closed-ended funds. It includes lots of valuable practical stuff, but it’s also a great way to get inside the minds of some of the key professionals running them, including both the old guard and the next generation of management talent.”
Faith Glasgow, Editor, Money Observer
“This book is essential reading if you are serious about long-term investing and want to use investment trusts to gain exposure to different parts of the market. It is very easy to read with bite-sized chapters covering a wide range of topics. These include the basics of investment trusts and thoughts on investing by various fund managers and industry experts.”
Daniel Coatsworth, Shares Magazine
“The book offers a unique insight into the industry and provides investors with a wealth of interesting views and ideas.”
Annabel Brodie-Smith, Communications Director, Association of Investment Companies
“This is truly the definitive guide on the market right now.”
Master Investor
“This Handbook is weighty but nonetheless an approachable compendium. It includes opinions and insights from experienced investors, veteran analysts and shrewd commentators, ably hosted by Jonathan Davis as village guide and companion. As such, I think the book fills a calm and valuable gap between data and dense analytics on the one hand – and the daily babble of market noise on the other.”
Piers Currie, Special Adviser, Abrdn