10 hottest ISA shares, funds and trusts: week ended 5 September 2025

We look at the investments ii customers have been buying within their ISAs during the previous week. The data includes only real-time trades, not regular investing instructions, and combines the use of both existing funds and new money.

• Invest with ii: Open a Stocks & Shares ISA | ISA Investment Ideas | Transfer a Stocks & Shares ISA

Top 10 shares in ISAs

Legal & General Group (LSE:LGEN) raced seven places higher to top the table of most-bought stock in ISAs on the ii platform for the first time in five weeks. The insurer ended Australia-focused miner Wishbone Gold (LSE:WSBN)’s two-week stay in first place as investors bought stock at prices not seen since April. Broker downgrades and concerns about margins are among issues affecting sentiment.

Rolls-Royce Holdings (LSE:RR.) also jumped seven positions to regain its spot in the top three.Shares in the high-flying engineer were knocked briefly when a City analyst cut their price target, although the pullback proved only temporary.

easyJet (LSE:EZJ) and BAE Systems (LSE:BA.) are both back in the top 10 after a short break. Investors snapped up shares in the orange-liveried airline after a negative read across from Jet2’s poor results. Jet2 Ordinary Shares (LSE:JET2) blamed a difficult market as its share price slump by 10% on the news, dragging easyJet down to April levels.

• Insider: chief backs Aviva with big share purchase
• ii view: income play L&G remains ‘firmly on track’
• eyeQ: why L&G and Aviva shares are now cheap

Meanwhile, the UK government announced a £10 billion deal with Norway for BAE Systems (LSE:BA.) to build five Type-26 frigates in Glasgow. Hopes are high that more deals will follow.

Elsewhere, a couple of smaller newbies have caught the eye of investors.

As I mentioned last week, Empire Metals Ltd (LSE:EEE) was hovering outside the top 10 as precious metals mining companies attracted attention. And a run of positive updates from the £500 million firm has continued.

Empire’s share price rallied last week to its highest since 2007 on the day it announced half-year results. Despite a loss of £1.7 million for the period, the company raised £4.5 million in May and confirmed its flagship Pitfield project in Western Australia as the “world's most significant new titanium discovery”.

Managing director Shaun Bunn is optimistic. He says: “Pitfield is no longer just a discovery story - it is fast becoming recognised as a project of global importance, with results that continue to exceed expectations…I am confident that Empire can bring this once-in-a-lifetime discovery to commercial fruition in an expedient manner.”

• Shares for the future: a FTSE 250 stock with earning power
• Sign up to our free newsletter for investment ideas, latest news and award-winning analysis

Empire shares will also now be available on the OTCQX® Best Market in the US, which the company says is expected to “enhance the visibility and accessibility” of its shares to American investors.

Finally, Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals (LSE:HEMO) debuts in this list after recording its highest share price in over a year. Investor interest was piqued towards the end of August when the company raised £570,000 by offering shares at 180p. The money funds Phase 1 clinical trials of its HG-CT-1 therapy targeting relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia in adults. It also raised £620,000 through the issue of convertible loan notes.

This morning, the shares exceeded their 990p peak achieved a week ago as Hemogenyxagreeda manufacturing partnership with American cell therapy firm Made Scientific to advance HG-CT-1.

Top 10 funds and trusts in ISAs

For the past three weeks our top three has remained the same, with Royal London Short Term Money Market retaining pole position. It offers a “cash-like return”, with its yield closely linked to the Bank of England’s base rate. As well as its low-risk income, this fund is viewed as a place to park cash while awaiting new opportunities.

In second place is Artemis Global Income. This value-focused fund is light on US exposure, holding 29%. In contrast, the MSCI World Index, which follows the up and down fortunes of 1,320 global stocks across 23 developed markets, holds 72% in US companies. The fund launched 15 years ago, and the same stock picker – Jacob de Tusch-Lec - is still at the helm. It focuses primarily on a mix of lesser-known medium-sized companies (typically valued at £500 million and above) and lower-volatility “mega” companies.

Third place goes to global tracker fund Vanguard LifeStrategy 80% Equity. It's joined this week by another fund from the same stable, with Vanguard LifeStrategy 100% Equity one of two new entries in eighth place. 

Both funds aim to mirror the performance of markets by investing in other index funds managed by Vanguard. These funds are seen as potential one-stop shops for beginner investors or those looking for a core holding due to their diversification and low costs, with each fund in the range having a yearly ongoing charges figure of 0.22%.

• The out-of-favour funds experts are sticking with
• Stock pickers strike back as value investing returns

Also entering this week’s table is global tracker fund Fidelity Index World. For a yearly charge of 0.12% it tracks the up and down movements of 1,321 global companies listed on developed markets. Its rivals, HSBC FTSE All-World Index and Vanguard FTSE Global All Cap Index are in fifth and ninth place respectively.

HSBC FTSE All World tracks 3,491 global companies for a yearly fee of 0.13%. It tracks both developed and emerging market listed shares.

Vanguard FTSE Global All Cap Index also has some exposure to emerging markets. Its fee is higher, at 0.23% a year.

Elsewhere, retaining their places in the top 10 are City of London Ord (LSE:CTY), Greencoat UK Wind (LSE:UKW) and L&G Global Technology Index.

Dropping out of the top 10 this week are Polar Capital Technology and Scottish Mortgage.

Funds and trusts section written by ii’s Kyle Caldwell.