Core Viewpoints - The article discusses the performance differences between active and passive industry funds, highlighting that while industry funds generally exhibit high volatility, the ability of active funds to achieve excess returns varies significantly across different sectors [2][3]. Industry Funds - Within the three industry fund categories examined, passive funds often show considerable differences and may not accurately represent the overall exposure characteristics of the industry. This is compounded by significant asset concentration in some passive funds and the varying performance of sub-sectors in different years, leading to notable fluctuations in the annual victory rates of active industry funds [6]. - In 2024, active consumer industry funds outperformed larger passive funds tracking the CSI White Wine Index, with a victory rate increasing from 48.1% in 2023 to 69.9% by the end of 2024. Conversely, the victory rate for active pharmaceutical industry funds decreased from 74.4% in 2023 to 58.9% in 2024, with active consumer funds taking the lead [3][7]. - The technology, media, and telecommunications sector saw active funds' performance decline, with a victory rate dropping from 45.5% in 2023 to 19.8% in 2024, largely due to poor decision-making in sector allocation and stock selection by many active fund managers [3][9]. Consumer Industry Funds - In 2024, active consumer industry funds achieved a significant turnaround, with notable performance in home appliances, automobiles, and retail sectors benefiting from consumer subsidy policies, resulting in index increases of 25.4%, 16.3%, and 13.7%, respectively. The performance of passive funds was adversely affected by the poor showing of those tracking the CSI White Wine Index, which had a return of -17.1% [7][8]. - The overall asset-weighted average return of passive funds in the consumer sector was -7.4%, contrasting sharply with an equal-weighted average return of +4.2%, indicating that the performance of a few large passive funds significantly impacted the overall results [7]. Pharmaceutical Industry Funds - Despite a decline in the one-year victory rate for active pharmaceutical funds, they maintained the highest three-year and five-year victory rates among the examined categories. The active funds' strategies of overweighting resilient sectors like chemical pharmaceuticals and traditional Chinese medicine helped mitigate losses from underperforming areas [8][9]. - The passive funds in this category are primarily large-scale funds tracking broad indices, which allows them to better represent the overall exposure of the pharmaceutical industry [9][10]. Technology, Media, and Telecommunications Industry Funds - The one-year victory rate for active funds in this sector fell to 19.8%, with many active managers making poor allocation and selection decisions. In contrast, larger passive funds focusing on specific themes like the Sci-Tech Board and semiconductors performed well due to strong market performance in those areas [9][10]. - Over the long term, active funds in the pharmaceutical and technology sectors have shown a tendency to achieve significant positive excess returns, indicating a higher likelihood of selecting outperforming active funds in these industries [10]. Fee Reform and Future Implications - The China Securities Regulatory Commission has been progressively implementing fee reforms since July 2023, which have led to a significant decline in overall fee levels in the public fund industry. This trend may affect the comparative results between active and passive funds in the future [10][11]. - The "High-Quality Development Action Plan" released in May 2025 aims to shift fund companies' focus from "scale" to "investor returns," which may influence fund managers' investment strategies and the potential for active funds to achieve excess returns [11].