Fantasy fund manager: and they’re off!
Tech and healthcare gave contestants an early boost in January.
The AIC fantasy fund manager competition is under way and the first results are in.
It’s been a volatile month for markets, with the inauguration of President Trump, an upside inflation boost in the US and an unexpected shock for tech stocks with news that China has produced a rival to ChatGPT at a fraction of the cost, sending markets reeling.
But there was also a lot of optimism about beneficiaries of a Trump administration, such as deregulation benefitting financial stocks and smaller companies which are hoping to get a boost from Trump’s America First agenda.
So what has all this meant for our players’ portfolios?
| Journalist | Portfolio gain | Value of £10,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Moira O’Neill | 4.57% | £10,457 |
| Cherry Reynard | 4.29% | £10,429 |
| Kyle Caldwell | 3.26% | £10,326 |
| James Baxter-Derrington | 1.88% | £10,188 |
| Ian Cowie | 1.06% | £10,106 |
| Rosie Murray-West | 0.02% | £10,002 |
Source: theaic.co.uk / Morningstar. Share price total return
Top portfolio returns
The early leader is the FT’s Moira O’Neill with a monthly gain of 4.57%. Her best performing holdings were Polar Capital Technology, up 7.60% in January, despite the sell off in chip stocks. One of its biggest holdings, Cloudflare Inc, jumping by 20.63% in the month. Closely behind was Moira’s choice of International Biotechnology Trust, up 6.45%. That was helped by its biggest holding, Intra-Cellular Therapies, rocketing by 50.85%.
Cherry Reynard is a close second, with a monthly gain of 4.29%. That was thanks to two outstanding contributions; a healthy 9.48% from Polar Capital Global Healthcare and a substantial 6.72% from JP Morgan US Smaller Companies.
While in third place, Interactive Investor’s Kyle Caldwell saw returns of a very respectable 3.26% on the month. His best performing trust was the FTSE100 listed goliath, Alliance Witan, which rose by 6.43%.
Top funds
The best performing fund of the month among all our competitors holdings was the Polar Capital Global Healthcare with that 9.48% gain, aided by two of its top holdings, Fresenius SE and Sanofi rising by over 10%.
It was followed by stablemate Polar Capital Global Financials, which banked an 8.41% rise. It invests in a range of banks, payment firms, insurers and investment companies, all of which are expected to benefit under Donald Trump’s administration. Its biggest holding, JP Morgan, shot up by 11.3% in January. Citigroup rose by 16.43% while Barclays was up 11.13%.
There’s plenty of time for our other contestants to catch up. Remember, investing in stocks and shares is a long-term commitment, and markets can be extremely volatile in the short term. Watch this space to see what February has in store for our players’ trust picks.
| Journalist | Investment trust | AIC sector | Total return (%) 1 month to 31/01/25 | Value of holding As at 31/01/25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moira O'Neill | City of London Investment Trust | UK Equity Income | 2.98 | £2,574 |
| Henderson Smaller Companies | UK Smaller Companies | 1.23 | £2,531 | |
| International Biotechnology Trust | Biotechnology & Healthcare | 6.45 | £2,661 | |
| Polar Capital Technology | Technology & Technology Innovation | 7.60 | £2,690 | |
| Total portfolio | 4.57 | £10,457 | ||
| Cherry Reynard | JP Morgan US Smaller Companies | North American Smaller Companies | 6.72 | £2,668 |
| Diverse Income Trust | UK Equity Income | 3.53 | £2,588 | |
| Polar Capital Global Healthcare | Biotechnology & Healthcare | 9.48 | £2,737 | |
| RM Alternative Income Fund | Debt - Direct Lending | -2.59 | £2,435 | |
| Total portfolio | 4.29 | £10,429 | ||
| Kyle Caldwell | Alliance Witan | Global | 6.43 | £2,661 |
| Fidelity Special Values | UK All Companies | 3.35 | £2,584 | |
| Personal Assets Trust | Flexible Investment | 2.82 | £2,570 | |
| RTW Biotech Opportunities | Biotechnology & Healthcare | 0.43 | £2,511 | |
| Total portfolio | 3.26 | £10,326 | ||
| James Baxter-Derrington | JP Morgan American | North America | 4.25 | £2,606 |
| Chrysalis | Growth Capital | -4.81 | £2,380 | |
| Fidelity China Special Situations | China / Greater China | 4.71 | £2,618 | |
| Mercantile Investment Trust | UK All Companies | 3.36 | £2,584 | |
| Total portfolio | 1.88 | £10,188 | ||
| Ian Cowie | Alliance Witan | Global | 6.43 | £2,661 |
| Edinburgh Worldwide | Global Smaller Companies | 2.26 | £2,557 | |
| India Capital Growth | India/Indian Subcontinent | -11.17 | £2,221 | |
| JP Morgan US Smaller Companies | North American Smaller Companies | 6.72 | £2,668 | |
| Total portfolio | 1.06 | £10,106 | ||
| Rosie Murray-West | Gresham House Energy Storage Fund | Renewable Energy Infrastructure | -10.57 | £2,236 |
| Canadian General Investments | North America | -1.71 | £2,457 | |
| Brown Advisory US Smaller Companies | North American Smaller Companies | 3.93 | £2,598 | |
| Polar Capital Global Financials | Financials & Financial Innovation | 8.41 | £2,710 | |
| Total portfolio | 0.02 | £10,002 | ||
Source: theaic.co.uk / Morningstar. Share price total return.
The information and trust selections are for entertainment purposes only and do not constitute investment advice or personal recommendations. The opinions expressed are those of the individual writers and not of the AIC. You should not make investment decisions based solely on this information and you should seek independent financial advice to identify investments that suit your own personal circumstances and needs. See our full terms of use.
Nick Gardner
Nick Gardner is an award-winning financial journalist. He is former Business and Personal Finance Editor of the Sunday and Daily Telegraph in Sydney, and Deputy Money editor of The Sunday Times in London. He was also Head of Content at Brewin Dolphin, the wealth manager.
