Schroders, the UK's largest listed fund manager, posted a robust set of first-half results on July 30 that led one analyst to describe the company as "dull and boring - which is precisely why we think it is interesting".

Schroders pulled in £8.8 billion of new funds from customers during the first half of the year, adding £3.7 billion since the end of March despite difficult markets in the second quarter. Pre-tax profits at the fund manager rose 24% to £290.3 million, compared to the first half of last year.