Core Insights - The public fund industry is experiencing significant growth driven by industry-themed products, which are becoming key marketing strategies in a competitive landscape [1][7][8] - There is a notable structural differentiation in fund performance, with industry-themed ETFs gaining traction while broad-based ETFs face net redemptions [2][3][4] Group 1: Industry-Themed Fund Growth - Industry-themed ETFs have seen substantial increases in their share sizes, countering the decline in broad-based ETFs [3][4] - Data shows that the total public fund share decreased slightly to 30,457.341 billion shares, with a net redemption of 1,247.62 billion shares, while index funds experienced a net subscription of approximately 51.5 billion shares [2] - The top 20 funds with the highest share growth in Q3 were predominantly industry-themed ETFs, indicating a strong market preference for these products [3] Group 2: Active Equity Funds and Industry Focus - Active equity funds are increasingly aligning their performance and growth with specific industry themes, such as innovative drugs and artificial intelligence [4][5] - The top ten active equity funds are all industry-focused, showcasing a trend towards sector-specific investment strategies [4] - For instance, the Yongying Technology Select Fund saw its assets grow from approximately 10.32 million to 11.8 billion by Q3, highlighting the impact of industry-focused management [4] Group 3: Tooling and Market Adaptation - The public fund industry is entering a "tooling" era, where funds are designed to meet specific investor needs, leading to a rise in industry-themed products [7][8] - Fund companies are increasingly launching ETFs targeting traditional and niche industries, reflecting a shift in marketing strategies [7] - The development of industry-themed funds is seen as a response to the challenges of generating excess returns in an efficient market [8]

Core Insights - The performance of public FOFs has significantly improved, with the top-performing FOF achieving a return of 68% this year, surpassing many actively managed equity funds [1][2] - FOFs are increasingly focusing on narrow-based industry theme funds, particularly in manufacturing, consumer, and resource sectors, to enhance their performance [1][4] Performance Highlights - The top three FOFs this year are Guotai Youxuan Lihang (68%), E Fund Advantage Return (58.33%), and Guotai Industry Rotation (57.47%), all outperforming the average return of actively managed equity funds [1][2] - The shift towards FOFs reflects a new trend in the capital market, where selecting funds rather than stocks can lead to superior performance [2] Investment Strategies - Leading FOFs are adopting strategies that emphasize industry theme funds, with a focus on ETFs and narrow-based indices such as gold, battery, and innovative pharmaceuticals [2][3] - Resource industry funds are becoming popular choices for FOFs, with managers predicting recovery opportunities in cyclical industries, particularly in the metal and financial real estate sectors [4] Future Outlook - FOF managers are adjusting their portfolios to include more defensive positions, focusing on underperforming sectors in both growth and cyclical industries [4][5] - The technology and resource sectors are expected to see increased allocations, with a particular emphasis on AI and renewable energy as key growth areas [5]

Core Viewpoint - The performance of public FOFs (Fund of Funds) has significantly improved, with some achieving returns as high as 68% this year, surpassing many actively managed equity funds and changing the perception of FOFs as conservative investment products [1][2]. Group 1: Performance and Strategy - The top three performing FOFs this year are Guotai Youxuan Lihang (68%), E Fund Advantage Return (58.33%), and Guotai Industry Rotation (57.47%), all of which have outperformed the average return of actively managed equity funds [2][3]. - FOFs are increasingly focusing on narrow-based industry theme funds, such as ETFs related to gold, batteries, and innovative pharmaceuticals, to enhance their performance [3][4]. - The shift towards selecting funds rather than individual stocks has allowed FOFs to achieve high performance, indicating a new trend in the capital market and public fund industry [2][3]. Group 2: Future Investment Directions - Resource industry funds are becoming popular choices for FOFs, with managers identifying potential recovery opportunities in cyclical industries, particularly in the metal and financial real estate sectors [4][5]. - FOF managers are also looking to increase defensive positions by focusing on the most undervalued sectors within growth and cyclical industries, suggesting that bank, resource, and photovoltaic theme funds may become core investment targets [5][6]. - The current momentum in the global AI industry and improvements in the renewable energy sector are driving FOFs to adjust their allocations, increasing exposure to technology and resource theme funds while reducing financial asset allocations [5][6].

Core Insights - The performance of public fund of funds (FOF) has significantly improved due to the utilization of index fund products, enhancing both profitability and flexibility [1] - The best-performing FOF product this year has achieved a return of 68%, surpassing the median performance of all market funds and outperforming many actively managed equity funds [1] - FOF fund managers plan to continue focusing on niche products in the fourth quarter, particularly in promising sectors such as manufacturing, consumption, and resources [1] Summary by Categories - **Performance Metrics** - The highest performing FOF product has recorded a return of 68% this year [1] - This performance is notably above the median of the entire market fund sector [1] - Many actively managed equity funds have been significantly outperformed by this FOF product [1] - **Investment Strategy** - FOF managers are shifting from conservative styles to actively exploring niche products, especially industry-themed funds [1] - The focus for the fourth quarter will be on sectors with potential, specifically manufacturing, consumption, and resources [1]

Market Performance - In September 2025, the average return of actively managed equity funds was 5.6%, while the CSI 300 index rose by 3.2% to 4641 points. Over 75% of the funds achieved positive returns this month [9][21]. - Growth funds performed the best with a median return of 8.5%. Value style funds faced pressure with an overall negative return, while sector-themed funds benefited from the non-ferrous metal market, achieving a maximum return of 31.3% [21][24]. - The performance of industry-themed funds showed significant differentiation, with high-end manufacturing, cyclical, and technology funds performing well. The top-performing technology fund was Yongying Technology Smart Selection A, with a return of 194.5% [24][29]. Equity Fund Multi-Strategy Overview - The report analyzed 2493 actively managed equity funds that met specific criteria, including a minimum scale of 100 million and a stock allocation exceeding 50% [32]. - The average goodness of fit for public funds relative to a single index was 0.78, indicating a slight increase in strategy concentration compared to the previous month [33]. - The distribution of equity fund strategies showed an increase in cyclical style, with a downward shift in investment strategy market capitalization. The most significant inflows were into the CSI 500, ChiNext Index, and CSI 1000 [39]. Fund Rating Changes - The report noted an increase in high-rated funds, with 39 AAA-rated funds and 99 AA+ rated funds, reflecting an overall improvement in fund ratings due to favorable market conditions. The proportion of value and small-cap high-performing funds increased from 16% to 18% [45][46]. - High-rated funds demonstrated excellent overall performance and robust investment management capabilities, showing good alpha sustainability in both short-term and long-term performance [52]. Outstanding Fund Monthly Tracking - The report identified 10 funds that exhibited significant performance improvement and management optimization, reflecting their investment strategies' adaptability to the current market environment [62]. - New funds with high return potential and differentiated competitive advantages were highlighted, with 7 new funds identified this month, primarily in quantitative strategies [60].

Core Insights - The article highlights the increasing role of Fund of Funds (FOF) and investment advisory services in identifying specialized and differentiated investment products in the current structural market environment [1][6] - There is a notable shift in the investment strategy from selecting "star fund managers" to choosing more transparent and practical quantitative or thematic products [6] FOF and Investment Strategies - FOFs have been actively increasing their allocations to various specialized products, particularly in active equity funds, amidst a backdrop of improved liquidity in the domestic market [1][2] - Notable quantitative products such as Nuon Multi-Strategy C and CITIC Prudential Multi-Strategy C have seen significant interest from FOFs, with over 10 FOFs heavily investing in these funds by the end of Q2 [2][3] - The performance of these funds has been impressive, with Nuon Multi-Strategy C achieving a return rate exceeding 40% since Q2, while others like CITIC Prudential Multi-Strategy C and Guojin Quantitative Multi-Factor C have returns around 20% [2][3] Thematic and Specialized Products - FOFs are also exploring other distinct active stock-picking products across various themes such as Hong Kong stocks, technology, dividends, gold stocks, finance, and real estate [2][3] - The demand for active equity funds is driven by the need for stable excess returns and clear investment logic, with a focus on products that can provide certainty in returns during structural market conditions [3][5] Risk Management and Investment Framework - The investment community is increasingly recognizing the importance of a comprehensive risk-return evaluation system, moving beyond traditional performance metrics to include strategy clarity and market adaptability [5][6] - Multi-asset strategies are seen as advantageous in capturing structural opportunities, allowing for diversified investments across low-correlated assets to optimize risk-return profiles [3][6] Evolution of Investment Preferences - There has been a significant evolution in the preferences of investment advisory services towards active equity funds, emphasizing the selection of strategies over individual fund managers [6] - The focus has shifted from short-term timing and stock selection capabilities of fund managers to utilizing tool-based products for long-term asset allocation [6]