The tipsy-topsy world of recent KiwiSaver performance

For example, ASB's Positive Impact fund was the best performing balanced KiwiSaver fund in the quarter with an 8.1% return, but it was the worst performer out of 17 funds over calendar 2023 with an 8.3% return and the worst performer over three years with a negative 1.2% annual return.

The fund hasn't been going long enough to record five or 10-year returns.

In sharp contrast, Milford's balanced fund was the worst performer in the quarter with a 4.8% return and the second-worst performer over calendar 2023 with a 9.1% return, but it was the best performer over three years with a 4.7% annual return, over five years with an 8.3% annual return and over 10 years with an 8.6% annual return.

MJW noted that because KiwiSaver is a long-term savings vehicle, “one should not put too much weight on the short-term results.”