It's no secret that 2023 has been a tough year for even the best ASX shares. Since the start of the calendar year, the ASX 200 has retreated by 1.3%, which isn't exactly what you want to see in late October.
But despite this sluggish performance from the broader market, I fortunately have a few stocks that have performed far better than the index. Let's discuss my best ASX shares.
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3 of my best-performing ASX shares in 2023
Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM)
My position in ASX 200 gold miner Newcrest has been a bright star in my portfolio this year. Since January, the Newcrest share price has gained a healthy 15.3%, helping to buttress my portfolio against other losses.
There's no mystery with this one. The takeover offer from the giant US gold miner Newmont Corporation (NYSE: NEM) has lit a fire under the Newcrest share price in 2023.
Shareholders in Newcrest will do especially well when the monster US$1.10 per share dividend is paid out in a few days' time, coming just after Newcrest is set to depart the ASX forever on 26 October.
BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF – Currency Hedged (ASX: HNDQ)
This exchange-traded fund (ETF) has been another major winner in my ASX portfolio in 2023 to date. HNDQ units have bucked the ASX mightily, rising a very welcome 31.9% over the year so far.
The NASDAQ 100 ETF tracks the US NASDAQ-100 Index (NASDAQ: NDX). This index houses most of America's large tech stocks, including Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, Netflix and Amazon.
These stocks have done a lot better than most this year, which explains why this tech-heavy ETF has been such a winner.
MFF Capital Investments Ltd (ASX: MFF)
Finally, let's talk about the listed investment company (LIC) MFF Capital. This LIC also holds mostly US shares, which again explains why investors have been benefitting from a stonking 28.6% runup in the MFF share price so far this year.
MFF holds a relatively concentrated portfolio of quality names, including Amazon, Alphabet, Mastercard and Visa. It manages this portfolio on behalf of its investors.
Unlike the HNDQ ETF, this ASX share isn't currency hedged, which means that the falling Australian dollar is giving its share price an extra boost. Needless to say, I've very much appreciated having this LIC as a core component of my portfolio. It is one of my best ASX shares in 2023 so far.
