##  [# Best Performing ETFs At Midyear 2015](/sections/news/best-performing-etfs-midyear-2015) 

 

# Best Performing ETFs At Midyear 2015

 

 

China and biotech ETFs see top returns so far this year.



 

 

 

 

 [![CinthyaMurphy_200x200.png](/sites/default/files/styles/author_image_icon/public/2023-02/CinthyaMurphy_200x200.png?itok=W3VI_sZv "CinthyaMurphy_200x200.png")](/contributors/cinthia-murphy) 

[By Cinthia Murphy](/contributors/cinthia-murphy)

 Jul 01, 2015

 Edited by: Cinthia Murphy

 

 

     Share  <a class="a2a a2a_button_email"> Email </a><a class="a2a a2a_button_linkedin"> LinkedIn </a><a class="a2a a2a_button_facebook"> Facebook </a><a class="a2a a2a_button_x"> X (Twitter) </a> 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
            googletag.cmd.push(function() {
                googletag.display('js-dfp-tag-article_page_302x26');
            });
    
    

 

 

  

 



 

 

  Loading 

 

 



 

 

ETFs focused on Chinese equities, particularly those investing in mainland stocks, delivered the biggest returns in the first half of the year. The strong performance was largely tied to a reform-minded government that has shown itself committed to do whatever it takes to grow and open up the stock market.

This pro-reform leadership has "walked the walk" and "talked the talk," as Brendan Ahern, head of KraneShares, recently put it, implementing change that includes having state-owned enterprises be more efficient; allowing private investors in; spinning off noncore businesses, etc.

**Top Gainers Have Been Falling**

The [Market Vectors ChinaAMC SME-ChiNext ETF (CNXT | D-49)](https://www.etf.com/CNXT) and the [Deutsche X-trackers Harvest CSI 500 China-A Shares Small Cap ETF (ASHS | D-73**)**](https://www.etf.com/ASHS) each gained upward of 61 percent in the last six months. These gains at the end of June even reflect a 20-percent-plus technical correction Chinese stocks faced in the second half of the month—at one point CNXT was up more than 100 percent this year.

**2015 Half-Year Top Performers (%) ex-Leveraged &amp; Inverse**

TickerFundTRRFlowsAUM ($M)CNXT Market Vectors ChinaAMC SME-ChiNext64.7316.2350.81ASHS Deutsche X-trackers Harvest CSI 500 China-A Shares Small Cap ETF61.1231.5875.56SBIO ALPS Medical Breakthroughs ETF43.04105.99122.42XBI SPDR S&amp;P Biotech35.66653.212,712.63BBP BioShares Biotechnology Products34.3416.2921.03BBC BioShares Biotechnology Clinical Trials30.5725.2730.78ECNS iShares MSCI China Small-Cap29.299.3949.51RODI Barclays Return on Disability ETNs26.16- 27.61KBA KraneShares Bosera MSCI China A Share25.990.2029.58PEKMarket Vectors ChinaAMC A-Share25.2715.32133.59CNXT targets 100 of the largest stocks listed on Shenzhen's SME and ChiNext Boards, which cater to smaller- and medium-size companies. ASHS tracks an index of 500 Chinese small-cap companies listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges.

"Beijing is pursuing sweeping economic reforms with the intent of establishing a greater role for market forces and less direct management of the economy by organs of the state," Tyler Mordy, of Hahn Investment Stewards, recently told us. "To smooth the process, a stock market boom is crucial—both to enable the further privatization of state-owned enterprises and to encourage private investment."

"The golden rule of China investing is to monitor what the central government wants. And what it wants now is a healthier market with greater liquidity and depth," he added.

**Biotech Posts Healthy Returns**

Also among the best-performing ETFs in the first half of the year was a roster of biotech-focused ETFs. The biggest of them, the $2.4 billion [SPDR S&amp;P Biotech (XBI | A-77)](https://www.etf.com/XBI), saw returns of 35 percent in six months.

These funds—tapping into one of the hottest health care segments—have benefited from several factors including the Affordable Care Act, the so-called Obamacare legislation. The legislation has created an influx of new patients that health care companies have seen come into the fold. Adding to performance has been a wave of mergers and acquisitions, and ever-pressing demand for new drug development in the face of global scares such as Ebola.

Health care, as a sector, was one of only three S&amp;P 500 sectors to rally in the first half of the year, and the best-performing at that, with gains of 8.8 percent. In all, the S&amp;P 500 ended June with gains of only 20 basis points in 2015.



 

 

 [ Cinthia Murphy ](/contributors/cinthia-murphy) 

 

 

  Cinthia Murphy is head of digital experience, advocating for the user in all that etf.com does. She previously served as managing editor and writer…   [View Bio](/contributors/cinthia-murphy)

 



 

 


 Related Topics  [China](http://www.etf.com/topics/china) 

 [Healthcare](http://www.etf.com/topics/healthcare)