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.
Before choosing a financial adviser, it is essential to ask the right questions. One of the most revealing is whether they recommend active or passive funds. Actively managed funds come with higher costs, and over time, those fees eat into returns. As investment author ANDREW HALLAM explains, the odds of outperforming low-cost index funds with active funds are slim. The good news is that more advisers are now turning to low-cost passive funds. If yours does not, it may be tim
Robin Powell
Apr 7, 20253 min read
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