How the Largest US ETFs Performed

Invesco QQQ Trust led stock ETF returns in October while Vanguard Mid Cap Index Fund lagged.

Illustration de collage du mot "ETF" avec une horloge et des formes en arrière-plan.
Securities in This Article
Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund ETF Shares
(BND)
Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares
(BIV)
Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares
(BSV)
Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF
(JAAA)
Dimensional U.S. Core Equity 2 ETF
(DFAC)

This article mentions funds that have an issuer-initiated rating and/or track a Morningstar Index. For full disclosure information, please refer to the specific funds, which are demarcated with a * symbol, listed below.

Each month, we check in on the performance of the largest US stock, bond, and active exchange-traded funds.

The Morningstar US Market Index rose 2.21% during October and is up 21.00% over the past year. The Morningstar US Core Bond Index rose 0.63% last month and is up 6.13% over the past year.

In the global markets, stocks gained 2.07% during October, as measured by the Morningstar Global Markets Index. Bonds fell 0.23%, as measured by the Morningstar Global Core Bond Index. Over the past year, global stocks are up 22.41% and global bonds are up 5.45%.

Largest US Stock ETF Performance

When evaluating ETFs, investors should focus on long-term returns across multiple years and market cycles. However, short-term returns can provide valuable information about biases within strategies.

Out of the 10 largest US stock ETFs, the top performer last month was the $392.9 billion Invesco QQQ Trust QQQ, which gained 4.79%. The bottom performer was the $198.6 billion Vanguard Mid Cap Index Fund VO

, which lost 0.97%.

Here’s more about the performance of the largest stock ETFs.

Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund VTI

In October, the Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund rose 2.18%, while the average large blend fund gained 1.57%. The fund placed in the 42nd percentile for performance. The $2.1 trillion fund has climbed 20.81% over the past year, outperforming the average fund in its category, which rose 17.61%. The Vanguard fund, which launched in May 2001, has climbed 21.76% over the past three years annualized and gained 16.66% annualized over the past five years.

Vanguard 500 Index Fund VOO

The $1.5 trillion Vanguard 500 Index Fund rose 2.34% in October. The gain on the fund beat the 1.57% gain on the average fund in the large blend category, leaving it in the 31st percentile for performance. Over the past year, the Vanguard fund rose 21.41%, while the average fund in its category rose 17.61%. The fund, which launched in September 2010, has climbed 22.64% over the past three years annualized and gained 17.60% annualized over the past five years.

iShares Core S&P 500 ETF IVV

In October, the iShares Core S&P 500 ETF rose 2.34%, while the average large blend fund gained 1.57%. The fund placed in the 31st percentile for performance. The $715.7 billion fund has climbed 21.42% over the past year, outperforming the average fund in its category, which rose 17.61%. The iShares fund, which launched in May 2000, has climbed 22.64% over the past three years annualized and gained 17.61% annualized over the past five years.

SPDR S&P 500 ETF SPY

In October, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF rose 2.33%, while the average large blend fund gained 1.57%. The fund placed in the 32nd percentile for performance. The $691.9 billion fund has climbed 21.32% over the past year, outperforming the average fund in its category, which rose 17.61%. The State Street fund, which launched in January 1993, has climbed 22.54% over the past three years annualized and gained 17.53% annualized over the past five years.

Vanguard Total Intl Stock Idx Fund VXUS

In October, the Vanguard Total Intl Stock Idx Fund rose 1.51%, while the average foreign large blend fund gained 0.97%. The fund placed in the 27th percentile for performance. The $554.3 billion fund has climbed 24.83% over the past year, outperforming the average fund in its category, which rose 22.75%. The Vanguard fund, which launched in January 2011, has climbed 20.09% over the past three years annualized and gained 11.27% annualized over the past five years.

Largest US Bond ETF Performance

When evaluating ETFs, investors should focus on long-term returns across multiple years and market cycles. However, short-term returns can provide valuable information about biases within strategies.

Out of the 10 largest US bond ETFs, the top performer last month was the $49.7 billion iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF TLT, which gained 1.38%. The bottom performer was the $63.1 billion Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund VTIP, which gained 0.07%.

Here’s more about the performance of the largest bond ETFs.

Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund BND

The Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund gained 0.60% in October, performing roughly in line with the average fund in the intermediate core bond category, which rose 0.60%. The $379.7 billion fund has gained 6.08% over the past year, while the average fund in its category is up 6.10%. The Vanguard fund, which launched in April 2007, has climbed 5.61% over the past three years annualized and lost 0.23% annualized over the past five years.

iShares Core US Aggregate Bond ETF AGG

In October, the iShares Core US Aggregate Bond ETF rose 0.62%, while the average intermediate core bond fund gained 0.60%. The fund placed in the 41st percentile for performance. The $135.2 billion fund has climbed 6.17% over the past year, performing roughly in line with the average fund in its category, which rose 6.10%. The iShares fund, which launched in September 2003, has climbed 5.60% over the past three years annualized and lost 0.24% annualized over the past five years.

Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund BNDX

The Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund gained 1.02% in October, outperforming the average fund in the global bond-USD hedged category, which rose 0.81%. The $112.6 billion fund has gained 4.39% over the past year, while the average fund in its category is up 5.72%. The Vanguard fund, which launched in May 2013, has climbed 5.17% over the past three years annualized and gained 0.04% annualized over the past five years.

Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund BSV

The Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund gained 0.37% in October, outperforming the average fund in the short-term bond category, which rose 0.35%. The $65.5 billion fund has gained 5.59% over the past year, while the average fund in its category is up 5.74%. The Vanguard fund, which launched in April 2007, has climbed 5.10% over the past three years annualized and gained 1.45% annualized over the past five years.

iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF SGOV

The iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF gained 0.36% in October, performing roughly in line with the average fund in the ultrashort bond category, which rose 0.35%. The $63.8 billion fund has gained 4.39% over the past year, while the average fund in its category is up 4.90%. The iShares fund, which launched in May 2020, has climbed 4.89% over the past three years annualized and gained 3.10% annualized over the past five years.

Largest US Active ETF Performance

While passive ETFs have portfolios where holdings are designed to track the performance of an index, active ETFs are managed by portfolio managers who make the decisions about which investments to own. Like index-tracking ETFs, active ETFs trade on an exchange and are typically lower-cost and more tax-efficient than traditional actively managed mutual funds.

When evaluating ETFs, investors should focus on long-term returns across multiple years and market cycles. However, short-term returns can provide valuable information about biases within strategies.

Out of the 10 largest US active ETFs, the top performer last month was the $31.3 billion JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF JEPQ, which gained 3.52%. The bottom performer was the $18.7 billion Avantis US Small Cap Value ETF AVUV, which lost 1.77%.

Here’s more about the performance of the largest active ETFs.

JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF JEPI

The JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF gained 0.21% in October, underperforming the average fund in the derivative income category, which rose 1.29%. The fund placed in the 65th percentile for performance and lagged its benchmark, the S&P 500 Index, by 2.13 percentage points.

The $40.8 billion fund has gained 5.27% over the past year, while the average fund in its category is up 16.72%. The JPMorgan fund, which launched in May 2020, has climbed 10.33% over the past three years annualized and gained 10.92% annualized over the past five years.

Dimensional US Core Equity 2 ETF DFAC

In October, the Dimensional US Core Equity 2 ETF rose 1.11%, while the average large blend fund gained 1.57%. The fund placed in the 73rd percentile for performance and lagged its benchmark, the Russell 3000 Index, by 1.03 percentage points.

The $38.8 billion fund has climbed 15.97% over the past year, underperforming the average fund in its category, which rose 17.61%. The Dimensional fund, which launched in October 2007, has climbed 18.34% over the past three years annualized and gained 16.40% annualized over the past five years.

JPMorgan Ultra-Short Income ETF JPST

The JPMorgan Ultra-Short Income ETF gained 0.34% in October, performing roughly in line with the average fund in the ultrashort bond category, which rose 0.35%. The fund placed in the 61st percentile for performance and lagged its benchmark, the Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index, by 0.28 percentage points.

The $35.1 billion fund has gained 5.00% over the past year, while the average fund in its category is up 4.90%. The JPMorgan fund, which launched in May 2017, has climbed 5.31% over the past three years annualized and gained 3.26% annualized over the past five years.

JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF JEPQ

The $31.3 billion JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF rose 3.52% in October. The gain on the fund beat the 1.29% gain on the average fund in the derivative income category, leaving it in the 25th percentile for performance. The fund beat its benchmark, the S&P 500 Index, by 1.18 percentage points.

Over the past year, the JPMorgan fund rose 20.83%, while the average fund in its category rose 16.72%. The fund, which launched in May 2022, has gained 24.19% over the past three years annualized.

iShares US Equity Factor Rotation Active ETF DYNF

In October, the iShares US Equity Factor Rotation Active ETF rose 2.80%, while the average large blend fund gained 1.57%. The fund placed in the 15th percentile for performance and beat its benchmark, the MSCI USA Index, by 0.45 percentage points.

The $29.2 billion fund has climbed 24.26% over the past year, outperforming the average fund in its category, which rose 17.61%. The iShares fund, which launched in March 2019, has climbed 28.38% over the past three years annualized and gained 19.77% annualized over the past five years.

This article was generated with the help of automation and reviewed by Morningstar editors. Learn more about Morningstar’s use of automation.

The author or authors do not own shares in any securities mentioned in this article. Find out about Morningstar’s editorial policies.

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