Despite Uncertain Markets, Equity Funds Perform Well in October

For October, mid-cap growth and small-cap growth equity funds were up the highest out of all fund investment styles, gaining 2.68% and 2.50% respectively. Although all styles measures by Standard & Poor’s equity analysts showed positive returns on the month, these two outdid the rest, in some cases by considerable margins. On the low end, small-cap value funds gained only 1.14%, while large-cap value funds faired almost the same, gaining only 1.16% on the month. All-cap growth equity funds gained 1.71% on the month, considerably higher than the 1.19% gains seen in all-cap value funds.

Year-to-date figures tell a different story, however. Through the end of October, value stock funds have performed better overall, with small-cap value funds posting average returns of 7.90%. Large-cap value was up 4.14%, while mid-cap value was up 7.29%. Overall for the year through October, all-cap value funds were up an average of 4.49%, well above the all-cap growth returns of 0.65%.

On the year through the end of October, the S&P 500-Stock Index was up only 2.93%. However, October added strongly to the yearly total, with 1.40% growth seen last month.