10 hottest ISA shares, funds and trusts: week ended 14 February 2025

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

It’s been another week with plenty of movement in, out and within the top 10 most-bought stocks in ISAs on the ii platform.

Of the six new entries, Russia-focused small-cap Eurasia Mining (LSE:EUA) is the week’s star stock. The company with interests in palladium, platinum, rhodium, iridium and gold, made an appearance in the list in June last year, but not since, and it claims top spot for the first time.

Eurasia shares have struggled since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, down from 27p before the war to a low of 1.35p in the past year. But buying interest picked up at the beginning of February and culminated in a peak of 7.15p last week.

There’s been no official announcement from the company since December when it extended expiries on some warrants and flagged a drawdown on a loan. Eurasia wants to sell its assets but has been hobbled by the war in Ukraine and sanctions imposed on Russia. But clearly any resolution to the conflict might increase the chances of making a disposal.

When John Wood Group (LSE:WG.) appears in this list, you know something’s gone wrong. It’s previous top 10 position occurred in November when it warned that Deloitte would be conducting an independent audit review of the group’s accounts. The share price plunged 60%, attracting bargain hunters.

It’s a similar situation this time. Guidance for the 2025 financial year is below November’s forecasts, and the company now expects negative free cash flow of up to $200 million this year. That’s because of weaker trading and expenses racked up trying to cut costs. Wood shares slumped 55% on Friday to 29p, and early Monday morning were trading not far above 21p.

• ii view: John Wood Group shares plunge again
• Barclays can overcome short-term correction
• Still plenty to like in NatWest's annual results

Two of the UK’s high street banks have made this week’s top 10 as the sector reports annual results. I would have thought Barclays (LSE:BARC) had made quite a few visits to this top 10 list, but it hasn’t. The only previous appearance was in August last year at around the time of its half-year results.

This time, investors are likely betting that a results day sell-off was overdone. Barclays shares dropped as much as 6% despite a 24% increase in annual profits to £8 billion, driven by a better-than-expected fourth quarter.

NatWest Group (LSE:NWG) is an even rarer visitor than its high street rival, making it into this list for the first time. Like Barclays, it enjoyed a strong end to 2024, and most of the key metrics in its numbers were reassuring. The share price eased on the figures, but again, like Barclays, the shares have doubled in the past year, so it’s perhaps not surprising to see some profit taking.

• eyeQ: has BP’s share price overheated?
• BP stuck in neutral for now

Elsewhere, top 10 regular BP (LSE:BP.) is back in seventh place as reports emerge about stake building by activist investor Elliott Management. The US hedge fund has built a holding worth almost £3.8 billion and is thought to be demanding that BP overhaul its strategy, specifically reversing its green investments. 

Finally, yo-yo stock Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) finds itself in ninth place, having been just outside the top 10 a week ago. The electric vehicle giant finds itself the target of anti-Elon Musk protests, and the stock fell to a three-month low last week at $325. However, that compares with $488 just before Christmas, and some investors clearly believe the sell-off is overdone. Tesla closed last week at just under $356.

Top 10 funds and trusts in ISAs

Greencoat UK Wind (LSE:UKW) was the most-popular collective in ISAs last week, rising two places. This investment trust owns renewable energy assets across the UK, and then sells the power to the grid to generate a return via dividends for shareholders.

However, the trust is under pressure as it marks down the net asset value (NAV) of its investment portfolio, and investors move money away from so-called alternative investments and into bonds to generate secure returns.

Greencoat UK Wind is down 13% so far for this year, which has pushed up the dividend yield. Based on a 2023 full-year dividend of 10p per share, the trust yields nearly 9%.

• Final Baillie Gifford investment trust rejects US activist
• Ian Cowie: inflation-busting income, but my timing was terrible

The other risers last week were Vanguard LifeStrategy 80% Equity and Fidelity Index World, both up one place. There were three new entries: HSBC FTSE All-World Index C Acc, 3i Group Ord (LSE:III) and Vanguard FTSE Global All Cap Index.

Royal London Short Term Money Market, L&G Global Technology Index I Acc and JPMorgan Global Growth & Income Ord (LSE:JGGI) all fell in popularity, while Scottish Mortgage Ord (LSE:SMT) held on to second place.

Alliance Witan, Polar Capital Global Technology Trust and F&C Investment Trust all fell off the list.

Funds and trusts section written by ii’s Sam Benstead.