Some of Australia's favourite ASX exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are tearing up the charts on Thursday.
Several ASX ETFs have hit new 52-week highs amid the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) rising 0.5%.
Let's check out eight of these outperformers today.
ASX ETFs hitting new 52-week highs today
Vanguard Msci Index International Shares Etf (ASX: VGS)
The Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF is up 0.70% to $118.76 at the time of writing. This ETF has bounced 22.8% higher over the past 12 months. Its 52-week high today was $118.99.
This popular ETF provides access to 1,500 of the world's largest listed companies from 23 countries, excluding Australia. Among its largest holdings are Apple, Visa, and Eli Lilly and Co.
BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)
The BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ) is up 1.15% to $41.25. This ASX tech ETF has risen 45.7% higher over the past 12 months. Its 52-week high today was $41.31.
This ASX ETF buys you into the world's best tech companies, including Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Nvidia.
iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV)
The iShares S&P 500 ETF is up 0.81% to $50.97. This ASX index ETF has risen 27.7% higher over the past 12 months. Its 52-week high today was $51.06.
The world's greatest investor, Warren Buffett, famously said the best strategy for amateur investors to generate wealth through shares was to consistently buy an S&P 500 low-cost index fund.
Buffett said:
I think it's the thing that makes the most sense practically all of the time. Keep buying it through thick and thin, and especially through thin.
Among the 500 companies included in this ETF are Amazon, Apple, Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, and Tesla.
VanEck MSCI International Quality ETF (ASX: QUAL)
The VanEck MSCI International Quality ETF is up 1.12% to $52.35. This ASX ETF has risen 36.5% higher over the past 12 months. Its 52-week high today was $52.43.
QUAL was among the top-performing ETFs of 2023. Its concept is simple: invest in the world's highest-quality companies based on key metrics such as high return on equity (ROE) and low debt. The fund holds about 300 companies, and three-quarters are US stocks.
Betashares Global Quality Leaders ETF (ASX: QLTY)
The BetaShares Global Quality Leaders ETF is up 0.86% to $28.26. This ETF has risen 32.1% higher over the past 12 months. Its 52-week high today was $28.35.
This ASX ETF has the same concept as the one above. It chooses companies based on four metrics – return on equity (ROE), debt to capital, cash flow generation, and earnings stability. Two-thirds of the fund's companies are US stocks. The others are from countries like Japan, the Netherlands and France.
BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK)
The BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF is up 0.17% to $12. This tech ETF has risen 44.1% higher over the past 12 months. Its 52-week high today was $12.06.
The HACK ETF gives ASX investors exposure to the rapidly growing global cybersecurity sector. Among its holdings are industry giants Accenture, Cisco, and Crowdstrike.
Vanguard Diversified High Growth INDEX ETF (ASX: VDHG)
The Vanguard Diversified High Growth Index ETF is up 0.86% to $62.04. This ETF has risen 9.1% higher over the past 12 months. Its 52-week high today was $62.11.
This ETF offers diversification in a pretty extreme way. You get exposure to about 16,000 ASX shares and international shares all in one transaction, for a single brokerage fee. The VDHG holds seven Vanguard index funds comprising 90% global and ASX stocks, and 10% bonds.
iShares Global Healthcare ETF AUD (ASX: IXJ)
The iShares Global Healthcare ETF is up 0.44% to $137.81. This healthcare ETF has risen 14.6% higher over the past 12 months. Its 52-week high today was $138.11.
The IXJ ETF is among the 6 global sector ETFs that delivered the best returns over the past five years. It tracks the S&P Global 1200 Healthcare Sector Index, so it has exposure to general healthcare stocks, biotechs, medical equipment suppliers, and big pharma. Its holdings include CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL), Ramsay Health Care Limited (ASX: RHC), Astra Zeneca, Johnson & Johnson, and Moderna.
In other news…
Several individual stocks are hitting 52-week highs today, including Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) shares which reached $24.40 today.
QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE) shares hit a new 52-week peak at $16.55, and Nextdc Ltd (ASX: NXT) reached $14.55.
Insurance Australia Group Ltd (ASX: IAG) shares hit a two-year high of $6.19 ahead of the company's half-yearly report next week. Analysts expect IAG to almost double its dividend in 2024.
