We already took a look at 2013’s best-performing ETFs in mid-October, then we followed up with those ETFs showing the worst performance in early November. We were watching all year, wondering what index funds would end up being the best (and worst) bets for the year.
Well, today is the day of reckoning. As 2013 comes to a close, we’ve got our final numbers in and here are your top five best and worst performing non-leveraged, non-inverse equities ETFs of the year.
The Best…
No surprises here, what was already cooking in October remained at the top of the list a month and a half later. And, while biotech had a hell of a year, it’s the green energy funds that dominate the top performers.
Guggenheim Solar ETF ($TAN)
Index: MAC Global Solar Energy Index
Expense Ratio: 0.65 percent
2013 Performance: 124.49 percent
The sun clearly shone on solar stocks as the market bounced back hard from a brutal 2011 and a not-as-bad-but-still-pretty-brutal 2012.
Market Vectors Solar Energy ETF ($KWT)
Index: Ardour Solar Energy Index
Expense Ratio: 0.65 percent
2013 Performance: 101.93 percent
Nasdaq Clean Edge Green Energy Index Fund ($QCLN)
Index: Nasdaq Clean Edge Green Energy Index
Expense Ratio: 0.60 percent
2013 Performance: 93 percent
Market Vectors Global Alternative Energy ETF ($GEX)
Index: Ardour Global Index
Expense Ratio: 0.62 percent
2013 Performance: 69.05 percent
iShares U.S. Broker-Dealers ETF ($IAI)
Index: Dow Jones U.S. Select Investment Services Sector Index
Expense Ratio: 0.48 percent
2013 Performance: 63.35 percent
Our lone non-green energy entrant is the IAI, which tracks the investment services industry. Though, in a year when the S&P 500 is up almost 30 percent, it probably shouldn’t come as a surprise.
The Worst…
And the worst ETFs all have a theme: precious metals miners. It was a rough year for gold bugs and people holding silver, and it was an worse for companies that mine for the precious metals.
Gold Explorers ETF ($GLDX)
Index: Solactive Global Gold Explorers Index
Expense Ratio: 0.65 percent
2013 Performance: -62.3 percent
Market Vectors Junior Gold Miners ETF ($GDXJ)
Index: Market Vectors Junior Gold Miners Index
Expense Ratio: 0.54 percent
2013 Performance: -61.03 percent
PureFunds ISE Junior Silver ETF (SILJ)
Index: Not linked to a specific index.
Expense Ratio: 0.69 percent
2013 Performance: -54.78 percent
Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF ($GDX)
Index: NYSE Arca Gold Miners Index
Expense Ratio: 0.52 percent
2013 Performance: -54.77 percent
This is among the five most actively-traded ETFs.
Pure Gold Miners ETF ($GGGG)
Index: Solactive Global Pure Gold Miners Index
Expense Ratio: 0.59 percent
2013 Performance: -53.82 percent
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