Who did well this year, given the ferocious amount of volatility in the markets, regulatory and political arenas? U.S. News and World Report took a look at the industry’s winners.

The crowned winners include:

Bond funds Through the end of October, assets in taxable bond funds had increased by more than $224 billion this year, according to the Investment Company Institute. Large, trusted names have been the biggest beneficiaries of this trend. For instance, through the end of September, DoubleLine Total Return Bond, PMed by Jeffrey Gundlach, attracted $16 billion in net inflows.

Index fund investors. A number of popular providers lowered fees on their index products this year in an effort to undercut competitors' prices, including Fidelity, BlackRock, Vanguard, and Charles Schwab.

The Fairholme Fund. After years of stellar performance, the Fairholme Fund tanked in 2011, losing a whopping 32 percent even as the S&P 500 finished the year in the black. This year, however, things are back to normal. Through Thursday, the fund was up 37 percent year to date.

401(k) investors. Investors saving for retirement now have access to more information. Under new Department of Labor rules, employers now have to provide additional information about 401(k) fees.

The mutual fund lobby. Mutual fund providers, with backing from the Investment Company Institute and the Chamber of Commerce, managed to forestall any changes to the structure of money market funds—at least for now. 

Edited by: Tommy Fernandez


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