Investment strategies

Funds at the top have notched triple digit returns in the last year.

Companies with a high level of intellectual capital tend to be less cyclical and that capital -- patents, trademarks, ideas -- gives them a bigger moat to defend against competitors.

Sustainable funds in the U.S. attracted $51.2 billion in 2020, more than double the previous calendar-year record.

Approval for similar access at competitors such as Schwab and Morgan Stanley’s E-Trade can take days.

Growth, quality and low-volatility stock funds had one of their worst months of flows on record, while those tracking value had one of their best.

Funds focused on ESG factors added a record $6.2 billion in January amid the increasing odds that Biden’s energy policies will be enacted.

Keep an eye on Asia, longer lifespans, the digital world, and green tech, writes Ida Liu, head of Citi Private Bank, North America.

“This looks like pockets of frothiness, some irrationality undoubtedly, some nonsense undoubtedly," said BlackRock Vice Chairman Philipp Hildebrand.

The skewed allocations “may significantly change fund performance and use case suitability until rebalance dates,” analysts say.

The 20 funds in this ranking carried an average expense ratio of more than twice the broader industry.