Every fortnight, MutualFunds.com provides a snapshot of the performance of some key mutual funds and ETFs to highlight the trending sectors, geographic regions, and asset classes. MutualFunds.com uses a system to automatically scan through thousands of relevant securities and, to ensure quality and adequate track record, places a minimum threshold on net assets ($1 billion for mutual funds and $500 million for ETFs). The best and worst performers are further discussed in the report along with key economic highlights from the past fortnight, reminding you to adjust your portfolios, if required.

Markets have been strong over the past two weeks, as falling inflation, the reopening of the Chinese economy and lower gas prices in Europe increased investor confidence.

US Broad mostly includes funds focused on US equities and can cover different investing styles (growth/value) and market capitalizations (small/mid/large). Fixed Income includes funds focused on debt securities and can cover different geographies (US/foreign) and security types (corporate/municipal/high-yield/investment-grade/government/structured). Alternatives cover funds focused on non-traditional investment strategies (currency, hedge fund strategy, derivatives), leveraged/structured products, real estate, and commodities. Dividend funds focus on generating income via equities and not through debt.

 

U.S. Broad

Small-cap and growth stocks have been among the best performers in the U.S past forrnight.

 

Top Performers

 

• Mutual Funds: Virtus Zevenbergen Innovative Growth Stock Fund (SCATX) , up 11.92%, and Spyglass Growth Fund (SPYGX), up 10.11%.

• ETFs: iShares Micro-Cap ETF (IWC) , up 8.94%, and Invesco S&P SmallCap 600 Revenue ETF (RWJ), up 8.83%.

 

Worst Performers

 

• Mutual Funds: American Funds Preservation Portfolio (PPFFX) , down 0.86%, and BlackRock Event Driven Equity Fund (BILPX), down 1.03%.

• ETFs: Pacer Trendpilot™ US Large Cap ETF (PTLC) , down 0.12%, and Franklin LibertyQ U.S. Equity ETF (FLQL), down 3.29%.

 

Dividend

Small-cap stocks that pay handsome dividends have been the best performers from the dividend pack. High growth dividend companies have posted weaker performance.

 

Top Performers

 

• Mutual Funds: Principal Small-MidCap Dividend Income Fund (PMDIX) , up 6.63%, and Matthews Asia Dividend Fund (MIPIX), up 6.06%.

• ETFs: First Trust Dow Jones Global Select Dividend Index Fund (FGD) , up 6.92%, and WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Fund (DES), up 6.77%.

 

Worst Performers

 

• Mutual Funds: Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund (VDIGX) , down 1.54%, and JPMorgan Equity Premium Income Fund (JEPRX), down 2.06%.

• ETFs: Legg Mason Low Volatility High Dividend ETF (LVHD) , down 1.7%, and First Trust Value Line® Dividend Index Fund (FVD), down 2.77%.

 

Fixed Income

Fixed income funds have also posted strong performance, with long-term corporate bonds recording among the best gains.

 

Top Performers

 

• Mutual Funds: PIMCO StocksPLUS® Long Duration Fund (PSLDX) , up 9.38%, and Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury Index Fund (VEDIX), up 7.28%.

• ETFs: SPDR® Portfolio Long Term Corporate Bond ETF (SPLB) , up 5.99%, and iShares 10+ Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (IGLB), up 5.9%.

 

Sector

Technology stocks have posted double digit gains during the past two weeks, while commodities like platinum were among the notable losers.

 

Top Performers

 

• Mutual Funds: American Beacon ARK Transformational Innovation Fund (ADNYX) , up 17.79%, and ProFunds UltraNASDAQ-100 Fund (UOPIX), up 12.56%.

• ETFs: Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X Shares (SOXL) , up 38.35%, and Direxion Daily S&P Biotech Bull 3X Shares (LABU), up 23.02%.

 

Worst Performers

 

• Mutual Funds: Putnam Global Health Care Fund (PHSYX) , down -0.19%, and Fidelity® Select Health Care Services Portfolio (FSHCX), down -0.09%.

• ETFs: ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ (SQQQ) , down -16.94%, and ProShares Short QQQ (PSQ), down -5.8%.

 

Foreign

In foreign equities, some Brazil, South Korea and Mexico based funds jumped more than 10%, while India and Saudi Arabia based funds posted weak performance.

 

Top Performers

 

• Mutual Funds: Baillie Gifford International Growth Fund (BGEUX) , up 11.4%, and Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Equities Fund (BGELX), up 11.13%.

• ETFs: iShares MSCI Brazil ETF (EWZ) , up 13.98%, and iShares Latin America 40 ETF (ILF), up 13.63%.

 

Worst Performers

 

• Mutual Funds: Vanguard Emerging Markets Government Bond Index Fund (VGAVX) , down 2.2%, and Eaton Vance Emerging Markets Debt Opportunities Fund (EIDOX), down 2.3%.

• ETFs: iShares India 50 ETF (INDY), down 1.13%.

 

Alternatives

Gold and cannabis stocks have been the best performers from the pack, while volatility instruments and managed futures were among the few funds posting losses.

 

Top Performers

 

• Mutual Funds: Fidelity® Select Gold Portfolio (FSAGX) , up 8.8%, and Janus Henderson Contrarian Fund (JCNCX), up 7.86%.

• ETFs: ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF (MJ) , up 9.52%, and Virtus InfraCap U.S. Preferred Stock ETF (PFFA), up 8.83%.

 

Worst Performers

 

• Mutual Funds: AQR Managed Futures Strategy Fund (AQMIX) , down -2.67%, and AlphaSimplex Managed Futures Strategy Fund (AMFAX), down -0.79%.

• ETFs: ProShares Ultra VIX Short-Term Futures ETF (UVXY) , down -20.62%, and Invesco DB Agriculture Fund (DBA), down -2.01%.

 

ESG

Several ESG funds posted gains between 2% and 6%.

 

Top Performers

 

• Mutual Funds: Brown Advisory Sustainable Growth Fund (BAFWX) , up 6.35%, and TIAA-CREF Social Choice Low Carbon Equity Fund (TPWCX), up 5.43%.

• ETFs: Xtrackers S&P 500 ESG ETF (SNPE) , up 4.82%, and iShares MSCI KLD 400 Social ETF (DSI), up 4.76%.

Among major economic data released during the last two weeks, U.S. inflation declined swiftly from 7.1% to 6.5%, triggering bets that the Federal Reserve will slow the pace of interest rate increases. Core inflation declined from 6% to 5.7%, which is still higher than the Federal Reserve’s target of 2%.

The U.S. jobs market continues to be strong, with the economy adding 223,000 jobs in December. The unemployment rate fell from 3.7% to 3.5%, a bigger fall than analysts had expected.

U.S. services purchasing managers’ index (PMI) surprisingly declined below 50, the level indicating neither contraction nor expansion, showing a swift deterioration in sentiment. However, U.S. consumer sentiment remains strong, rising to a high not seen since April 2022.

In Europe, UK economy surprised to the upside, with national output rising 0.1% in December compared with predictions of a 0.2% contraction.

Fund performance data is calculated for the period between Jnauary 3 and January 13.