The latest Lipper research – tracking fund categories and fund performance – indicated that, among the largest funds, the Pimco Total Return Fund has risen 3.75% year to date, though this week it declined 0.5%. Meanwhile, the Vanguard Total Stock Fund rose 3.3% this week and is up 0.84% for the year so far.
The Fidelity Contrafund grew 3.9% this week, but is down 0.6 percent year to date. And American Funds Growth ticked up 3.3% for the week, though it’s down 2.5% year to date.
Equity Funds
On a year-to-date basis, a few select tech-focused funds lead the pack. ProFunds Mobile Telecomm has improved 31% year to date, and the Internet Infrastructure HOLDRS has risen 25.5%.
Direxion’s Real Estate Bull 3X boasts returns of 28%, while the iPath ETN Global Carbon is up 23%.
The Fidelity Select Transport has improved 22%, and the Fidelity Select Banking has ticked up 18.5%.
Bull funds, like the Direxion Latin American Bull 3X and Direxion China Bull 3X have returns of 22.6% and higher year to date.
Gold funds have improved 15% or more for the past 13 weeks.
Fixed Income
In the tax-exempt fixed-income group, Eaton Vance municipals across the United States improved from 0.3-0.7% this week. Year to date, Oppenheimer municipals and Nuveen products are ahead of the pack. The Oppenheimer New Jersey Muni has ticked up 7.14%, while the Nuveen California High Yield Muni has risen 7%.
In the taxable fixed-income group, the bull and ultra-long Treasuries dominated the quarter-to-date and year-to-date charts.
Direxion 30 Year Treasure Bull 3X is up 25% for the quarter, while the ProShares Ultra 20-Plus Year Treasury is ahead 16.5%.