Chinese funds storm up rankings as Roger Aitken examines the latest data

China’s offshore and onshore equity markets have certainly been in extremely robust health over the past year and outperformed other major markets. Evidencing rising Chinese share valuations, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index surged 18.4% (4,364.21 points) over the past three months alone between 11 March and 27 May 2015 to stand at 28,081.21.

Not surprisingly therefore a crop of Chinese-focussed funds took the three top ranking slots amongst UK Registered funds in Morningstar’s analysis for the past year to 30 April 2015. Leading the pack was the £1,075.44m Robeco Chinese Equities D EUR Acc fund, which produced a scintillating +62.12% cumulative performance - versus +70.18%/6th rank over past three years and +64.26%/28th rank over last five.

Jupiter JGF China Select L USD Acc fund was runner up over the past 12 months to date with +47.02% - against +78.18%/2nd over past three years. Closely behind in third place on a past one-year horizon was Hamon Greater China USD fund with +46.85% (+67.45%/8th over past three years).

That said, while the £536.63m AXA Framlington Health R Inc fund ranked fifth top (+41.17%) over the past 12 months, it was in particularly fine form and top ranked over both past three- and five-year periods with +102.66% and +133.28%, respectively.

Amongst US Mutual funds, the $1,543.84m Eventide Gilead N fund ranked top out of 193 sector funds over the past 12 months with +22.05% and scored a double first over the past three years (+98.90%) and five years (+149.68%). The $2,596.20m Ariel Fund Investor came second top over the past year with +19.76%/2nd (+83.32%/2nd over past three; +97.47%/15th), followed in third on a past one-year view by Parnassus Endeavor Fund on +18.25% (+72.06%/6th over past three years; +107.05%/2nd).

Within the UK Insurance funds sector, Phoenix R/Fram Health Life fund top ranked over both past one- and three-year periods with +38.22% and +90.43%, respectively. The UK Individual Pension funds sector saw Phoenix R Sol/Fram Health Pension fund take the leader’s jersey over the past 12 months (+43.61%) and it top ranked over the past three years (+106.55%).

The UK Individual Pension funds sector produced the best peer group average over the past year with +27.37%, while European funds took top sector spoils over the last three years (+42.71%) and US Mutuals was top over last five years (+59.92%).