Of the 1,581 companies currently listed on AIM, analysts at GCI, a magazine specialising in providing information on fast-growing businesses*, found the number shares in the hands of institutional investors has risen during the past year from 41 per cent to 57 per cent, with their collective holdings now valued at £42.9 billion.

When looking at institutions most active on AIM by investment, the research identifies CDS & Co as top with ten investments valued at £3.2 billion, followed by Fidelity (£1 billion), Artemis (£677 million) and New Star Asset Management (£655 million).

The research, conducted in conjunction with small and mid-cap broker Teather & Greenwood, also goes on to break down the number of institutional investors by sector, where mining has the most number of investments (802), trailed by oil and gas (441) and real estate (301).