2001 Review: Charting a Tempest-Tossed Year

For the second year in a row, stock funds sank, while bond funds kept chugging along. The charts below give you the details. To screen for this year's best and worst performers in different fund categories, check out our Fund Finder tool.

Bonds Win Again Bond funds beat stock funds for the second year in a row
Category	YTD Return	Three-Year Return
Taxable Bond Funds	5.3%	4%
Municipal Bond Funds	3.7	3.2
U.S. Stock Funds	-12	4.7
Foreign Stock Funds	-18.5	0.8
Source: Morningstar, returns through Dec. 19.

Small and Cheap It paid to think that way this year
Fund Category	YTD Return	Three-Year Return
Small-Cap Value	14.9%	14%
Small-Cap Blend	6.4	13.3
Mid-Cap Value	4.6	11.3
Domestic Hybrid	-4.4	2.8
Mid-Cap Blend	-5.9	8
Large-Cap Value	-6.4	3.1
Small-Cap Growth	-10.5	11.6
Large-Cap Blend	-13.8	0.4
Mid-Cap Growth	-22.2	7.4
Large-Cap Growth	-23.5	-1.3
S&P 500	-12.5	-0.1
Source: Morningstar, returns through Dec. 19.

Tech Wreck Tech funds were the worst sector-fund and stock-fund category for the second year in a row
Sector-Fund Category	YTD Return	Three-Year Return
Real Estate	7.6%	10.1%
Financial	-4.1	6.7
Health Care	-14.4	16.9
Natural Resources	-14.4	13.8
Utilities	-22.8	-0.4
Communications	-35.7	-4.8
Technology	-37.2	1.4
S&P 500	-12.5	-0.1
Source: Morningstar, returns through Dec. 19.

Why You Shouldn't Ignore Bonds Bonds improbably beat stocks for the second year in a row
Bond-Fund Category	YTD Return	Three-Year Return
Emerging Markets	10.1%	16.3%
Short-Term Bond	7.1	5.7
Intermediate-Term Bond	6.9	5
Short-Term Government	6.9	5.5
Long-Term Bond	6.8	4.2
Intermediate-Term Government	6.6	5.3
Long-Term Government	5.1	4.2
Multi-Sector	3.5	2.7
High-Yield	1	-1
Avg. Bond Fund	5	3.9
S&P 500	-12.5	-0.1
Source: Morningstar, returns through Dec. 19.

Top 10 Funds Da, Pilgrim Russia tops the list
Fund	YTD Return	Three-Year Return
(LETRX Quote)Pilgrim Russia	69.9%	53.9%
(SMCFX Quote)Schroder Ultra	69.7	104.8
(MAKOX Quote)Matthews Korea	62.5	22.9
(AMFVX Quote)Ameristock Focused Value	56	N/A
(CORBX Quote)Corbin Small-Cap Value	50.9	17.1
(CGMFX Quote)CGM Focus	47.3	38.6
(WMICX Quote)Wasatch Micro Cap	44.5	41.8
(BPSIX Quote)Boston Partners Small Cap	43.8	32.5
(AVALX Quote)Aegis Value	39.2	22.4
(FRMCX Quote)Franklin MicroCap Value	37.6	14.8
S&P 500	-12.5	-0.1
Source: Morningstar, returns through Dec. 19.

Bottom 10 Funds ProFunds Ultra Internet had an ultra-terrible year
Fund	YTD Return	Three-Year Return
(INPSX Quote)ProFunds Ultra Internet	-76.2%	N/A
(BFOCX Quote)Berkshire Focus	-70.9	-12.7
(BTECX Quote)Berkshire Technology	-69.8	N/A
(MCFOX Quote)Merrill Lynch Focus Twenty	-69.6	N/A
(UOPSX Quote)ProFunds UltraOTC	-67.2	N/A
(RYVYX Quote)Rydex Velocity 100	-66.8	-33.9
(VWMDX Quote)Van Wagoner Mid-Cap Growth	-66	-13.2
(VTFBX Quote)Van Kampen Technology	-63.7	N/A
(IGCBX Quote)Pilgrim Global Communications	-63.6	N/A
(VTFAX Quote)Van Kampen Technology	-63.5	N/A
S&P 500	-12.5	-0.1
Source: Morningstar, returns through Dec. 19.