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.
Is private equity worth it? New research shows PE's 3.8% annual edge over public markets is far smaller than the industry claims, has been shrinking since 2006, and partly disappears once you adjust for leverage, size, and sector exposure. With all-in fees reaching 6% per year, retail investors should ask why the velvet rope is coming down just as institutional outperformance has faded. The answer: the industry needs your money.
Robin Powell
Dec 11, 20258 min read
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