Best and Worst Performing Funds in October

Best and Worst Performing Funds in October

Gold funds have had a stellar month after being near the bottom of the table for months, according to Morningstar Data.

Volatility across the markets have flipped the top and bottom funds table this October. Japan funds, which have had two months at the top of the table, are now at the bottom together with Latin American equity funds.

LatAm has been a consistent fixture at the bottom of the table for three months now. According to Ben Yearsley, investment director at Shore Financial Planning, Brazil is doing especially badly, and has not been helped by President Bolsonaro's “political shenanigans” amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Several Asia funds also feature at the bottom of the table this month. China is still grappling with the Evergrande property crisis as well as rising inflation and slowing economic growth. Sharply rising commodity prices are being blamed as well as rising energy costs.

Japan is in the middle of another political transition with Fumio Kishida taking over from Yoshihide Suga, who was Japan Prime Minister for just over a year.

Yearsley says: “In Japan the ruling Liberal Democrat party won the general election, albeit with a reduced majority. PM Fumio Kishida will find it harder to push through his