Investors rushed into global and growth funds during May as people bet on the worldwide reopening of economies to fuel further gains through the rest of 2021 and beyond.
Major stock markets around the world continued to trade close to record highs giving investors an incentive to look beyond the UK for future returns.
Popular active funds on the AJ Bell YouInvest platform included Fidelity Global Special Situations (B8HT715), Lindsell Train Global Equity (B3NS4D2) and Baillie Gifford Global Alpha (B3PPZ72), joined by the ever-popular Fundsmith Equity (B41YBW7) which invests in high quality companies from all over the globe.
There were four separate Baillie Gifford funds in May’s top 15 as investors started to embrace growth strategies again, led by the Edinburgh fund manager’s Baillie Gifford American (0606196).
Sustainability clearly remains on the minds of many, with Liontrust Sustainable Future Global Growth (3003006) and Baillie Gifford Positive Change (BYVGKV5) both featuring in May’s top 15.
Providing low-cost options on the global front were several Vanguard tracker funds, led by Vanguard LifeStrategy 80% Equity (B4PQW15). It runs a diversified portfolio with roughly 80% of assets invested in shares, and 20% in bonds and other fixed income investments, although at least 90% of assets are held through various tracker funds.
| Performance 2021 | 5-year performance* | |
| Fundsmith | 6.65% | 18.68% |
| Vanguard LifeStrategy 80% Equity | 6.01% | 11.10% |
| Vanguard LifeStrategy 100% Equity | 8.44% | 13.09% |
| Fidelity Index World | 7.73% | 14.97% |
| Baillie Gifford American | -3.23% | 36.13% |
| Fidelity Global Special Situations | 6.70% | 16.34% |
| Baillie Gifford Positive Change | 2.46% | N/A |
| Vanguard FTSE Global | 7.71% | N/A |
| Jupiter UK Special Situations | 19.9% | 8.11% |
| Vanguard LifeStrategy 60% Equity | 3.58% | 9.05% |
| Baillie Gifford Global Discovery | -7.54% | 26.05% |
| Liontrust Sustainable Future Global | 1.76% | 19.15% |
| Baillie Gifford Global Alpha | 3.87% | 20.38% |
| Lindsell Train Global Equity | 1.52% | 17.27% |
| Janus Henderson Absolute Return | 3.70% | 2.34% |
| Source: AJ Bell *Annualised |
