10 hottest ISA shares, funds and trusts: week ended 13 December 2024

We look at the investments ii customers have been buying within their ISAs during the previous week. The data includes only real-time trades, not regular investing instructions, and combines the use of both existing funds and new money.

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Top 10 shares in ISAs

As usual there are a bunch of new entrants in the list of the 10 most-bought stocks in ISAs on the ii platform.

Palantir Technologies Inc Ordinary Shares - Class A (NASDAQ:PLTR) makes its first appearance here at number six. After reaching an all-time high at the end of the previous week, Palantir shares fell more than 10% before recovering in the second half of last week to make a new record high.

The software provider, which aims to improve the efficiency of customer data, was confirmed as a new member of the Nasdaq 100 index as of 23 December. Growth in customer numbers of almost 40% year-over-year, as of its November announced third-quarter results, have helped Palantir shares gain by more than 300% year-to-date. Palantir aids both governments and companies in integrating, analysing and making sense of vast amounts of data.

After a week’s break, defence giant BAE Systems (LSE:BA.) is back in the top 10. The company announced the expected publication of full-year results to 31 December on 19 February, with any final dividend declared to be paid to eligible shareholders on 2 June.

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During the week, BAE also won a £133 million contract to further develop the helmet-mounted display used when flying the Eurofighter Typhoon. Data is displayed directly on to the pilot’s helmet visor providing mission-critical information. Aircraft-related sales generated BAE’s biggest slug of profit during 2023 at just over a third.

GSK (LSE:GSK) also reappears in this list after dropping to number 11 the week before. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) agreed to look at data to assess the potential use of GSK’s existing drug Nucala (mepolizumab) in treating Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

COPD affects more than 390 million people globally and over 14 million people in the US each year. Nucala is currently approved for use in the US to aid treating conditions including asthma. GSK shares are down around 9% during 2024 and have fallen by 27% over the past five years.

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Glencore (LSE:GLEN) hasn’t been seen here since early September, but the mining company’s shares revisited multi-year lows, which has rekindled investors' interest. China’s leaders during the week vowed “more proactive” fiscal measures and “moderately” looser monetary policy for 2025, moves which could boost domestic consumption.

Asia, including China, generated Glencore’s biggest slug of sales at over two-fifths during 2023. Shares for the FTSE 100 miner are down 22% year-to-date. Glencore customers range from car makers to steel, power generation and battery manufacturing companies.

Top 10 funds and trusts in ISAs

The two most-popular funds in ISAs last week had very different investment profiles.

In first place was L&G Global Technology Index, which owns the world’s largest tech shares, including near-15% positions in Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL), Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT) and NVIDIA Corp (NASDAQ:NVDA). It has risen 40% this year, making it one of the top-performing funds in 2024, as well as over the past decade. Strong returns have come with lots of volatility, however.

Meanwhile, second place (up three places) was held by Royal London Short Term Money Market fund. This strategy aims to produce a “cash-like” return by owning short-term bonds and making use of bank deposit facilities. It is on track to return a little more than 5% this year, with no drawdown period. Charges are 0.1% and the current yield is 4.8%. Yields are closely tied to the Bank of England base rate, which is currently 4.75%.

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The next most popular funds, all dropping one place on the week before, were Vanguard LifeStrategy 80% Equity, Scottish Mortgage Ord (LSE:SMT) and Vanguard US Equity Index.

Greencoat UK Wind (LSE:UKW) rose two places to sixth, while HSBC FTSE All-World Index also rose in popularity, landing in eighth place. Alliance Witan Ord (LSE:ALW) was a new entry in ninth, while Fidelity Index World held on to seventh place. Tenth place was occupied by JPMorgan Global Growth & Income (LSE:JGGI).

Overall, there were seven global equity funds on the list, showing the value investors place on having a “one-stop shop” fund that gives them broad access to equity markets. It also means that investors are heavily invested in US shares, which make up around 70% of global indices.

Vanguard LifeStrategy 100% dropped off the most-bought list last week.