<p style="line-height: 18.9091px;">This week saw a dramatic illustration of the poor sentiment afflicting private equity investment trusts as shares in 3i Group<span style="line-height: 1.6;"> fell to their first discount in three years.</span> While big discounts have dogged the sector since the financial crisis, 3i, the £4 billion market leader, bucked the trend as its shares soared to a premium of over 40% to net asset value at one point in response to the turnaround orchestrated by chief executive Simon Borrows.</p>