Investors pursuing a balanced portfolio can use top-performing exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for exposure to diverse sectors and securities. ETFs hold a basket of assets, such as stocks, bonds, fixed-income securities, commodities, and currencies, and often cover different sectors, themes, or types of securities. They are traded on the stock exchange like a stock, making it convenient to enter and exit positions from a single brokerage account.

Below, we present the top equity, bond, fixed income, commodities, and currency ETFs that have yielded the highest returns for investors over the preceding month (leaving aside leveraged and inverse ETFs, as well as those with less than $50 million in assets). All data is as of Oct. 20.

Equity ETF with the Best 1-Month Return: iShares MSCI Poland ETF (EPOL)

• One-month performance: 9.89%
• Expense ratio: 0.58%
• Annual dividend yield: 1.57%
• 30-day average daily volume: 277,047
• Assets under management (AUM): $224.97 million
• Inception date: May 25, 2010
• Issuer: BlackRock

EPOL tracks the performance of the MSCI Poland IMI 25/50 Index, a market-cap-weighted benchmark comprising stocks in the broader Polish equity market.

The fund’s 33 holdings include Polish oil and gas giant Orlen S.A. (PSKOF), leading bank PKO Bank Polski SA (P9O.MU), and Powszechny Zaklad Ubezpieczen SA (PWZYF), one of the country’s largest financial services companies. Financials take up the lion’s share of sector allocation at 40.7%. The ETF has had greater interest after pro-European-Union parties won a parliamentary majority in the country’s most recent election.

Bond ETF with the Best 1-Month Return: iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV)

• One-month performance: 0.45%
• Expense ratio: 0.07%
• Annual dividend yield: 4.13%
• 30-day average daily volume: 2,780,309
• AUM: $16.96 billion
• Inception date: May 26, 2020
• Issuer: BlackRock

The fund aims to mimic the return of the ICE 0-3 Month US Treasury Securities Index, a market-value weighted benchmark of U.S. Treasurys maturing in three months or less.

SGOV’s top three near-term maturing fixed-income securities in a portfolio of 17 holdings weigh almost 40% together and have a market value of $6.8 billion. The ETF has benefited from high multiyear Treasury yields registered over the past month amid ongoing inflation concerns.

Fixed-Income ETF with the Best 1-Month Return: FolioBeyond Alternative Income and Interest Rate Hedge ETF (RISR)

• One-month performance: 2.52%
• Expense ratio: 0.99%
• Annual dividend yield: 6.69%
• 30-day average daily volume: 25,236
• AUM: $75.90 million
• Inception date: Sept. 30, 2021
• Issuer: Tidal

RISR offers exposure to interest-only mortgage-backed securities and U.S. Treasury bonds.

The ETF’s top three securities holdings — GNMA Remic Trust 2022-081 (3.5%), GNMA Remic Trust 2023-018 (5.0%), and GNMA Remic Trust 2022-101 (4.5%)— account for 17.33% of its portfolio with a cumulative market value of $13.2 million. Like other fixed-income funds, RISR has benefited from investors hedging against rising rates.

Commodities ETF with the Best 1-Month Return: Teucrium Corn Fund (CORN)

• One-month performance: 4.12%
• Expense ratio: 1.14%
• Annual dividend yield: N/A
• 30-day average daily volume: 50,569
• AUM: $91.37 million
• Inception date: June 9, 2010
• Issuer: Teucrium

CORN seeks returns similar to the Teucrium Corn Fund Benchmark, an index of corn futures contracts traded on the Chicago Board of Trade.

The fund holds corn futures contracts with three different expiration dates: March 2024, May 2024, and December 2024, as for October 2023. The ETF varies from its underlying index since it doesn’t prioritize front-month futures exposure but holds second- and third-month contracts. The ETF’s 4% return last month could be because of oversold technical conditions. The fund traded down more than 16% over the past year on the back of a supply glut.

Currency ETF with the Best 1-Month Return: WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bullish Fund (USDU)

• One-month performance: 2.6%
• Expense ratio: 0.5%
• Annual dividend yield: 0.94%
• 30-Day average daily volume: 300,006
• AUM: $240.46 million
• Inception date: Dec. 18, 2013
• Issuer: WisdomTree

USDU aims to replicate returns in the U.S. Dollar (USD) against other currencies by going long on the USD against a basket of global currencies. The fund hopes to catch gains on the promise of a rising dollar.

The fund’s top five currency forward positions include the Australian dollar vs. USD, the Canadian dollar vs. USD, the Swiss franc vs. USD, the Chinese yuan vs. USD, and the euro vs. USD. The dollar continues to do well against other currencies, given the Federal Reserve’s ongoing hawkish stance on interest rates.

The comments, opinions, and analyses expressed on Investopedia are for informational purposes only. Read our warranty and liability disclaimer for more info.

As of the date this article was written, the author did not own any of the above ETFs.

Do you have a news tip for Investopedia reporters? Please email us at tips@daftarlapak303.com