Can smart beta funds be your shortcut to beat the market in 2026? - What are smart beta funds and why are investors talking about them?

Smart beta funds combine the best of passive and active investing by using rules based strategies focused on factors like value, momentum, and quality. These funds aim to offer better risk adjusted returns than traditional index funds while keeping costs lower than active management. By selecting and weighting stocks based on clear, predefined factors, smart beta funds give investors more control and transparency. This approach helps balance the benefits of strategy driven investing with the affordability and consistency of index funds. What are smart beta funds and why are investors talking about them?