In November 2025, leadership is concentrated in technology-tilted trackers and broad US equity exposures. Below we explain the top performers from the last six months that also meet a pragmatic definition of “safer”: unlevered, low-fee, large AUM, and diversified within their mandate. Data and fees are verified to early–mid November 2025.
Top US ETFs November 2025 — Best 6-Month Performance With Low Fees
Invesco NASDAQ-100 ETF (QQQM)
Yield: ~0.6% annually (SEC yield varies)
2025 Performance to Date: ~20% (to late Oct 2025)
Investment Focus: Mega-cap US growth/technology via the NASDAQ-100
Risk Level: Moderate-High (concentrated in tech leaders)
Small info about the ETF: QQQM tracks the NASDAQ-100 with a lower fee than QQQ (0.15% vs 0.20%). Six-month total return is roughly +20% to early November, based on monthly prices (May ≈ $213 → Nov ≈ $256). Expense ratio: 0.15%. AUM multi-billion; highly liquid.
iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX)
Yield: ~0.6% annually
2025 Performance to Date: ~37% (to 7 Nov 2025)
Investment Focus: US semiconductor blue chips (PHLX Semiconductor Index)
Risk Level: High (cyclical, but diversified across ~30 names; unlevered)
Small info about the ETF: Six-month return is c.+13% to 31 Oct 2025 (NAV), reflecting a pause after a strong H1; fee 0.35%. Beta and volatility are higher than broad tech, but it remains unlevered and very liquid.
Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG)
Yield: ~0.4% annually
2025 Performance to Date: mid-teens % (late Oct/early Nov)
Investment Focus: US large-cap growth (CRSP US Large Cap Growth)
Risk Level: Moderate (broad, rules-based large-cap growth)
Small info about the ETF: Six-month return has been robust alongside big tech and quality growth; fee 0.04% (one of the lowest). Massive AUM and tight spreads support “safer” implementation.
Top Europe (UCITS) ETFs November 2025 — Best 6-Month Performance With Low Fees
Amundi Core STOXX Europe 600 UCITS ETF (Acc) – LYX0Q0 / LU0908500753
Yield: n/a — accumulating (dividends reinvested)
2025 Performance to Date: +16.28% (YTD, to Nov 2025)
Investment Focus: Broad developed Europe equities (STOXX Europe 600)
Risk Level: Moderate (diversified across 600 names)
Small info about the ETF: Six-month total return +8.06%; TER 0.07% (among the cheapest on the market). Very large AUM (~€13.9bn) and multiple EU/UK listings support tight spreads.
Vanguard FTSE Developed Europe UCITS ETF (Dist) – VEUR / IE00B945VV12
Yield: ~2.85% current dividend yield (12-month rolling)
2025 Performance to Date: +16.19% (YTD, to Nov 2025)
Investment Focus: Large & mid-cap developed Europe (FTSE Developed Europe)
Risk Level: Moderate (broad, rules-based)
Small info about the ETF: Six-month total return +8.21%; OCF 0.10%. Strong country diversification (UK, France, Germany, Switzerland) and deep liquidity across LSE, Xetra, Euronext, SIX.
iShares Core MSCI Europe UCITS ETF (Dist) – IMEU / IE00B1YZSC51
Yield: ~2.64% (12-month trailing yield)
2025 Performance to Date: +15.50% (YTD, to 31 Oct 2025)
Investment Focus: Broad developed Europe (MSCI Europe)
Risk Level: Moderate (regional, multi-sector, physical replication)
Small info about the ETF: Six-month total return +9.86%; TER 0.12%. Very large fund size, quarterly distributions, and wide venue coverage (LSE, Xetra, SIX, Euronext).
US ETFs November 2025 – Summary
Invesco NASDAQ-100 ETF (QQQM): Low-Fee Access to Tech-Led Growth
QQQM tracks the NASDAQ-100 with a 0.15% expense ratio, offering efficient exposure to mega-cap growth, cloud, AI and software. Over the last six months (to early November), total return is roughly +20% based on monthly price series; YTD is ~20% to late October. Liquidity and AUM are substantial, and spreads are tight. For allocators, it is a clean, unlevered way to express a growth factor tilt.
iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX): Cyclical High-Beta, But Unlevered and Liquid
Semiconductors are the backbone of AI and data-centre spending. SOXX’s six-month performance sits around +13% to 31 Oct 2025 (NAV); YTD ~+37% to 7 Nov 2025. Fee is 0.35%. This is a sector bet, but implemented via a large, transparent, unlevered ETF with deep liquidity — often preferable to single-stock risk.
Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG): Ultra-Low Fee, Broad Large-Cap Growth
VUG (0.04% fee) captures US large-cap growth with very broad diversification. It has delivered solid six-month and YTD gains alongside quality and profitability factors. Huge AUM and Vanguard’s index methodology make it an institutional-grade core growth sleeve.
Top Europe (UCITS) ETFs November 2025 – Summary
Amundi Core STOXX Europe 600 UCITS (LYX0Q0): Broad Europe at Rock-Bottom 0.07% TER
This is a clean, ultra-low-cost way to own developed Europe in one ticket. Six-month total return sits around +8.06% and YTD is +16.28% (to November 2025). The STOXX Europe 600 exposure gives wide sector and country breadth across 600 constituents, with sizeable AUM and tight spreads that make it easy to implement in size.
If you want a simple, diversified Europe fund where dividends are automatically reinvested, this is it. Costs are among the lowest, and the fund is big and easy to trade.
Vanguard FTSE Developed Europe UCITS (VEUR): Core Developed Europe, OCF 0.10%
VEUR provides large and mid-cap developed Europe exposure with a straightforward, rules-based FTSE index. Six-month return is about +8.21% and YTD +16.19% (to November 2025). Liquidity across LSE, Xetra, Euronext and SIX, plus strong country diversification (UK, France, Germany, Switzerland), makes it a dependable regional core holding for model portfolios.
For a clear, dividend-paying Europe fund, VEUR is a solid choice. It’s broadly diversified, reasonably priced, and you can buy it on multiple exchanges with tight trading spreads.
iShares Core MSCI Europe UCITS (IMEU): Broad MSCI Europe, TER 0.12%
IMEU tracks MSCI Europe with physical replication, offering deep diversification across sectors and leading European markets. Six-month total return is roughly +9.86%, with YTD at +15.50% to 31 October 2025. The fund’s large size, quarterly distributions, and multi-venue listings make it a robust, low-friction building block for regional exposure.
If you want broad European shares with regular income, IMEU keeps it simple. It’s widely diversified, cost-effective, and designed to be easy to hold for the long term.
Article Topics:
- Best ETFs November 2025 (US & Europe)
- Top-performing ETFs last 6 months 2025
- Low-fee ETFs 2025 for long-term investing
- QQQM ETF review 2025 (NASDAQ-100 low fee)
- SOXX ETF performance 2025 (semiconductors & AI)
- VUG ETF analysis 2025 (US large-cap growth)
- XUIT UCITS ETF performance 2025 (US information technology)
- VUSA UCITS review 2025 (best S&P 500 ETF Europe)
- IWDA UCITS review 2025 (global equity core)
- Amundi Core STOXX Europe 600 LYX0Q0 review
- VEUR ETF review 2025 (FTSE Developed Europe)
- IMEU ETF review 2025 (MSCI Europe core)
- Best UCITS ETFs for UK investors 2025
- How to measure ETF six-month returns (2025)
- ETF yield vs performance explained 2025