Top 10 most-purchased ETFs in September 2024
We run through the most popular exchange-traded funds last month, including gold, US and tech trackers.
2nd October 2024 09:02
by Sam Benstead from interactive investor
Investors added to their positions in gold last month, as the price of the precious metal rose to $2,650 (£1,990) per ounce, up from about $2,500 at the start of September.
They did this via iShares Physical Gold ETC, a Super-60 exchange-traded fund (ETF) that owns physical gold and gives investors a cost-effective and liquid way of owning the metal. It rose from fifth place to third place.
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The gold price rise is linked to lower interest rates. Because gold pays no income, when interest rates fall, it becomes relatively more appealing. There is also tension in the Middle East, which plays into gold’s “safe-haven” status when investors are worried.
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The two most-popular ETFs track the S&P 500 index of America’s largest companies. From Vanguard, they charge 0.07% in fees and offer versions that reinvest or distribute any dividend payments.
Three global trackers made the most-bought ETF list this week: iShares Core MSCI World Ucits ETF (SWDA) in fourth place, Vanguard FTSE All World Ucits ETF (dis) (VWRL)in sixth place, and Vanguard FTSE All World Ucits ETF (acc) (VWRP) in eighth place.
Annual fees are similar (at 0.2% for the iShares tracker and 0.22% for the Vanguard funds), but they track different global markets. SWDA tracks the MSCI World index, which just covers developed markets, while VWRL and VWRP track the FTSE All World index, which includes emerging markets such as India and China.
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Invesco Nasdaq 100 Ucits ETF fell four places to seventh place and iShares Core FTSE 100 Ucits ETF rose one place to fifth.
Technology shares are on a good run, spurred by lower interest rates and developments in artificial intelligence (AI). EQQQ has risen 24.3% over the past 12 months as a result of this.
Meanwhile, UK shares are also performing well, with iShares Core FTSE 100 Ucits ETF rising 13.4% over the past 12 months.
Finally, two leveraged ETFs made the list in ninth and 10th place: WisdomTree Nasdaq 100 3x Daily Leveraged and WisdomTree Nasdaq 100 3x Daily Leveraged Short.
These ETFs amplify the gains and losses of the Nasdaq 100 index. They are generally designed for day traders and not suitable for investors who plan to hold it for more than one trading session. Find out why here.
iShares S&P 500 Information Technology Sector Ucits ETF and VanEck Semiconductor ETF dropped off the most-bought list.
Top 10 most-popular ETFs in September 2024
| Position | ETF | Change on last month | One-year return (%) | Three-year return (%) |
| 1 | Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF GBP (LSE:VUSA) | No change | 23.2 | 39.2 |
| 2 | Vanguard S&P 500 ETF USD Acc GBP (LSE:VUAG) | No change | 23.2 | 39.2 |
| 3 | iShares Physical Gold ETC GBP (LSE:SGLN) | Up two | 29.4 | 53 |
| 4 | iShares Core MSCI World ETF USD Acc GBP (LSE:SWDA) | No change | 20.7 | 31 |
| 5 | iShares Core FTSE 100 ETF GBP Dist (LSE:ISF) | Up one | 13.4 | 30.9 |
| 6 | Vanguard FTSE All-World UCITS ETF GBP (LSE:VWRL) | Up one | 19.8 | 27.1 |
| 7 | Invesco EQQQ NASDAQ-100 ETF GBP (LSE:EQQQ) | Down four | 24.3 | 38.8 |
| 8 | Vanguard FTSE All-World ETF USD Acc GBP (LSE:VWRP) | No change | 19.8 | 27.1 |
| 9 | WisdomTree NASDAQ 100 3x Daily Leveraged (LSE:QQQ3) | New entry | 63.3 | -1.55 |
| 10 | WisdomTree NASDAQ 100 3x Dl Short ETP (LSE:QQQS) | New entry | -50.1 | -37.6 |
Source: interactive investor/FE FundInfo, 1 October 2024.
These articles are provided for information purposes only. Occasionally, an opinion about whether to buy or sell a specific investment may be provided by third parties. The content is not intended to be a personal recommendation to buy or sell any financial instrument or product, or to adopt any investment strategy as it is not provided based on an assessment of your investing knowledge and experience, your financial situation or your investment objectives. The value of your investments, and the income derived from them, may go down as well as up. You may not get back all the money that you invest. The investments referred to in this article may not be suitable for all investors, and if in doubt, an investor should seek advice from a qualified investment adviser.
Full performance can be found on the company or index summary page on the interactive investor website. Simply click on the company's or index name highlighted in the article.