Berkowitz, ICI Headline Mutual Fund Winners

The U.S. News & World Report today named its mutual fund winners for 2012, including a once-fallen star manager and a mutual fund trade group.

The pub gave kudos to Bruce Berkowitz, founder of The Fairholme Fund, which rebounded from losing 32% in 2011 to gaining 37% year-to-date through Dec. 20. It also recognized the Investment Company Institute for managing “to forestall any changes to the structure of money market funds—at least for now.” However, the Financial Stability Oversight Council has forged ahead with reforms sans Mary Schapiro.

Also, bonds funds (the darlings of investors in 2012), index fund investors (beneficiaries of cheapening fees), and 401(k) investors (beneficiaries of new fee disclosure rules) rounded out this year’s mutual fund winners, according to the pub.