The managers running the biggest active funds picked stocks that beat the market in 2025 — and most still lagged their benchmark. A Morningstar do-nothing experiment and a body of academic research explain why active funds underperform even when the picking is good: skilled buying undone by poor selling, the hidden cost of trading, and the incentives that keep managers churning. The UK evidence points the same way.
The most valuable New Year's resolution for investors in 2026? Tune out the noise. The evidence is clear: market forecasters are no better than coin flippers, yet we keep listening. Here's why ignoring predictions might be the best investment decision you make this year.
