Top 5 Core & Thematic ETFs of 2023

Want to hear something scary? There’s barely 40 days until 2024. So today, we thought it was worth having a look back at the top performing ETFs of 2023 and seeing if any big investing themes emerged.

Today we wanted to look at the ETFs that have performed best from a % performance point of view (not to be confused with the most popular ETFs - maybe we need a separate podcast for that…) Also, it’s crucial to understand that this is just a short view of these ETFs. As ambassadors for long term investing, we want to stress - when researching your stocks, it’s important it is to zoom out and look at the big picture. Make sure you’re assessing the volatility of these indexes or themes, determining if they’re for you, and making investments that align with your goals.

So that’s the list of core index ETFs, but when we looked at the thematic ETFs, that’s when we saw massive percentage increases! But of course we can’t just present these numbers without adding context. Below their headlines, you’ll see how these ETFs performed with a longer time horizon.

We chat about our take on these ETFs, the ones that took us by surprise, and which ones are included in our portfolios in today’s episode of Get Started Investing.

Who uses the bank of Mum and Dad?

Last week, we asked you a simple yet revealing question: "To buy a home, did you get assistance from the bank of Mum & Dad?" The majority of you - 61.11% - to be exact - said 'No'. However, the stories behind those who said 'Yes' give a nuanced picture of the current housing market, the ways we rely on our family, and the different ways the ‘bank of Mum & Dad’ is relied upon by new homeowners.

Here’s a small selection of what some of the Equity Mates community said:

While financial aspects are critical, it also got us thinking about the emotional impact. Borrowing money from family, especially for significant commitments like buying a home, can add strain or strengthen relationships. There’s some good outlines for navigating the beginnings of money conversations with family, like this article from MoneySmart. It offers valuable advice on balancing financial and personal aspects in family dynamics.

But it got us thinking…. The 'bank of Mum & Dad' phenomenon is more than a financial transaction; it's complex. What resources helped you? And how did you go about those conversations? And crucially, did it change your relationship?