These most popular investments should not be taken as personal recommendations to buy or sell a particular ETF - they are not intended to provide advice. Past performance is not a guide to future performance.
Investing in an ETF can be a convenient and straightforward way for investors to build a diversified portfolio. ETFs inherently offer diversification by bundling multiple assets into a single fund and can provide relatively low-risk, long-term returns for investors. So if you’re looking to find and learn more about some of the most popular ETFs of the month, we’ve created this helpful article to give you a quick overview. Don’t forget these articles, if you’d like to learn more about ETFs, or how to invest in them.
The top 3 are made up of the most purchased ETFs by ii customers in an ISA, SIPP, or Trading Account. This excerpt is pulled from ii’s Top 10 most popular ETFs in December 2023
Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF (dist)
One-year return: 18.9%
Three-year return: 41.7%
Provider: Vanguard
Name: Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF (dist)
Investment Type: UCITS (Undertakings for the Collective Investment of Transferable Securities) compliant ETF
Distribution Type: "dist" in the name indicates that this ETF distributes income generated from its holdings to investors. The distribution is typically in the form of dividends.
Underlying Index: The ETF aims to track the performance of the S&P 500 Index, which is a widely followed benchmark of the 500 largest publicly traded companies in the United States, like Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon.
Objective: The primary goal of this ETF is to provide investors with returns that closely correspond to the performance of the S&P 500 Index, allowing them to gain exposure to a broad and diversified portfolio of U.S. large-cap stocks.
Geographic Focus: Given that it tracks the S&P 500 Index, the ETF is primarily focused on U.S. stocks.
Dividend Distribution: The "dist" in the name indicates that the ETF distributes dividends to its investors. Investors holding this ETF may receive periodic payouts based on the dividends received from the underlying stocks.
One-year return: 16.9%
Three-year return: 32.7%
Provider: iShares (BlackRock)
Name: iShares Core MSCI World UCITS ETF
Investment Type: UCITS (Undertakings for the Collective Investment of Transferable Securities) compliant ETF.
Objective: The primary goal of this ETF is to track the performance of the MSCI World Index. The MSCI World Index is a widely followed global equity index that includes large and mid-cap stocks across developed markets.
Geographic Focus: The ETF provides exposure to a broad range of developed markets worldwide, including North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and other regions. It covers a diverse set of countries and sectors.
Diversification: By investing in the iShares Core MSCI World UCITS ETF, investors gain exposure to a diversified portfolio of companies from various developed economies, offering a way to participate in global equity markets.
Replication Method: The fund typically uses a replication strategy, aiming to hold a portfolio of securities that closely mirrors the composition and performance of the MSCI World Index.
One-year return: 16.2%
Three-year return: 28.0%
Provider: Vanguard
Name: Vanguard FTSE All-World UCITS ETF
Investment Type: UCITS (Undertakings for the Collective Investment of Transferable Securities) compliant ETF.
Objective: The primary goal of this ETF is to track the performance of the FTSE All-World Index. The FTSE All-World Index is a global equity index that includes both developed and emerging market stocks.
Geographic Focus: The ETF provides exposure to a comprehensive selection of stocks from both developed and emerging markets, making it a global equity investment.
Diversification: By investing in the Vanguard FTSE All-World UCITS ETF, investors can achieve broad diversification across countries and sectors, covering a significant portion of the global equity market.
Replication Method: The fund typically uses a replication strategy, aiming to hold a portfolio of securities that closely mirrors the composition and performance of the FTSE All-World Index.
What's the bottom line?
It's important to note that details about ETFs, including their objectives and strategies, can change. For the most up-to-date and accurate information, you should refer to the official documentation provided by the provider or consult with a financial professional. If you're considering investing in any ETF, it's advisable to carefully review the fund's prospectus and consider your investment goals and risk tolerance. Please remember, as with all investing, capital is at risk.
Want to learn more?
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