Join more than 165,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with the latest financial news, insights and expert analysis to help you understand what really matters when it comes to your finances.
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Want to add more newsletters?
An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
The top stocks DIY investors bought in August. Are they taking more risk?
AI and digital asset plays were among the most-bought stocks last month, alongside global tracker funds.
Investors still appear to be balancing between growth opportunities and defensive plays when picking stocks and funds for their portfolio, with risk assets seemingly coming back into vogue for some.
Data from investment firm Fidelity International on the most popular stocks, funds and investment trusts in August shows, on the one hand, that DIY investors sought out solid defensive plays; British American Tobacco (LON:BATS) was the most popular stock of the month among ISA and SIPP investors. But higher risk stocks also featured high on the list, with several representing riskier growth areas like tech and cryptocurrency (crypto).
“August’s rankings suggest investors are balancing caution with continued appetite for growth, combining more established, income-oriented areas of the market with selective exposure to themes such as artificial intelligence (AI) and digital assets,” said Ed Monk, pensions and investment specialist at Fidelity International.
Try 6 free issues of MoneyWeek today
Get unparalleled financial insight, analysis and expert opinion you can profit from.
Sign up for MoneyWeek’s free twice-daily newsletter.
Join more than 165,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with latest financial news, insights and expert analysis to help you understand what really matters when it comes to your finances.
Join more than 165,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with latest financial news, insights and expert analysis to help you understand what really matters when it comes to your finances.
The top stocks and funds that other investors are buying can be revealing in terms of market confidence and prevailing themes – so which were the most-bought stocks, funds and investment trusts during August?
Besides British American Tobacco, the top-three most-bought stocks in August on Fidelity’s platform were filled out with healthcare companies: pharmaceuticals giant AstraZeneca (LON:AZN) and Primary Health Properties (LON:PHP), a real estate investment trust that invests in healthcare properties.
“We can’t know what prompted individual purchases, but some investors may be looking to businesses in more established sectors as a counterweight to growth-focused holdings,” said Monk.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
The most-bought stocks on Fidelity during August
Shares
British American Tobacco
AstraZeneca
Primary Health Properties
Circle Internet
Strategy
Imperial Brands
Alphabet Inc
Investec
Pollen Street Group
Sandisk Corporation
Source: Fidelity International
Looking further down the list, though, makes it clear that some investors are still interested in risk. The fourth- and fifth-most popular stocks were Circle Internet (NYSE:CRCL) and Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR) (formerly MicroStrategy), both of which have close ties to crypto markets. Strategy is well-known for being the first company to strategically hold Bitcoin on its balance sheet, while Circle builds digital payments networks and issues stablecoins including USDC, the world’s largest.
Google parent Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) also featured in the top 10 list, as did memory chipmaker Sandisk (NASDAQ:SNDK) – whose gains of 560% in 2026 through to the end of August have seen it promoted out of the global small cap index.
The most-bought funds and investment trusts in August
The four most-bought funds on Fidelity during August were all global tracker funds, with Lazard Emerging Markets Fund the highest-ranking fund that reflected anything other than a global equity strategy.
Investment trust exposure was more varied, with some of the top picks pointing towards strategic exposure to regions like Japan, asset classes like private equity, or renewable energy.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
The most-bought funds and investment trusts on Fidelity during August
“With index trackers accounting for half of the ten best-selling funds and global strategies particularly prominent, investors appear to be combining broad diversification with selective bets on income, technology, and digital assets,” said Monk.
Explore More
Sign up for MoneyWeek's newsletters
Join more than 165,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with the latest financial news, insights and expert analysis to help you understand what really matters when it comes to your finances.
Dan is a financial journalist who, prior to joining MoneyWeek, spent five years writing for OPTO, an investment magazine focused on growth and technology stocks, ETFs and thematic investing.
Before becoming a writer, Dan spent six years working in talent acquisition in the tech sector, including for credit scoring start-up ClearScore where he first developed an interest in personal finance.
Dan studied Social Anthropology and Management at Sidney Sussex College and the Judge Business School, Cambridge University. Outside finance, he also enjoys travel writing, and has edited two published travel books.
