FYI: The aging bull market, now nearly 5½ years old, is seemingly unstoppable. It has survived a flash crash, budgetary brouhahas, the threat of war in eastern Europe, hostilities in the Middle East, tepid earnings growth and, last but certainly not least, one of the most feeble economic recoveries ever. What's more, stock prices have continued to march upward despite signs that the Federal Reserve is moving closer to the day when it begins to raise short-term interest rates, after keeping them near zero since 2008.
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So, for funds that own stocks, the past year was terrific. Every category tracked by Morningstar save one (funds that invest in Latin American stocks) delivered double-digit returns. Among U.S. stock fund categories, returns fell in a narrow range. The top group, funds that focus on large, fast-growing companies, gained 26.2%, on average through June 30.
Looking ahead, all eyes will be on central bankers around the globe. The availability of cheap money nearly everywhere has been the single most important driver of rising stock prices. It has given companies the wherewithal to buy back shares, purchase other firms and pay dividends. And it has forced investors out of bonds and cash and into stocks in search of better returns.
The Fed is on schedule to end its bond-buying program by the end of 2014, and it has indicated that it may start raising short-term rates next year. However, there's always a chance that the Fed might accelerate its timetable if the economy proves stronger than people expect. The creation of 288,000 new jobs in June suggests that the economy is gaining steam after a miserable first quarter. Earlier-than-anticipated rate hikes could unsettle the stock market.
We show here the top-performing mutual funds over various periods in five categories. The list includes only funds with modest minimum investment requirements and excludes leveraged index funds
Regards,
Ted
Large-Cap Funds:
https://www.fidelity.com/insights/investing-ideas/kiplinger-mutual-fund-rankings-2014-large-capMid-Cap Funds:
https://www.fidelity.com/insights/investing-ideas/kiplinger-mutual-fund-rankings-2014-midsize-companySmall-Cap Funds:
https://www.fidelity.com/insights/investing-ideas/kiplinger-mutual-fund-rankings-2014-small-companyGlobal Stocks Funds;
https://www.fidelity.com/insights/investing-ideas/kiplinger-mutual-fund-rankings-2014-global-stock-fundsSector Funds;
https://www.fidelity.com/insights/investing-ideas/kiplinger-mutual-fund-rankings-2014-sector 
Comments
SGENX (load-waived through Schwab): Very consistent performer, 1/3/5/10/20year average returns all range in 8.95-11.61% per year.
WASYX - small amount in an old ROTH
FMILX looks interesting -- somehow I had never come across it and considered for investing.