10 hottest ISA shares, funds and trusts: week ended 9 May 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.

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Top 10 shares in ISAs

BP (LSE:BP.) has kept top spot in this list of most-bought stocks in ISAs on the ii platform for the second week in a row, although it’s been in one of the top three positions since early April.

I’ve been writing for weeks about how the oil major’s shares are tracking the oil price, and investors have been keen to pick up stock on the cheap given the slump in crude prices to a four-year low.

Now, the price of oil is up over 7% in less than a week and 12% in the past seven days. And there’s evidence that algorithmic traders have exited some short positions as America and China make progress on trade talks, which could avert a major economic slowdown.

And last week’s rumours have proved accurate after the two superpowers just announced a big reduction in tariffs for 90 days. US tariffs on Chinese products drop to 30% and Chinese levies on US goods are slashed to 10%.

After a one-month break, pharmaceutical giant GSK (LSE:GSK) is back in the top 10 most-bought list. It’s joined by arch-rival AstraZeneca (LSE:AZN) which we’ve not seen here since November.

After staging post-tariff crash rallies, both stocks have significantly underperformed the wider stock market amid fears that one of President Trump’s executive orders will slash the price of prescription drugs and pharmaceutical prices. It’s being reported that Lord Peter Mandelson, UK Ambassador to the US, is trying to secure an exemption for the UK. Buyers of the two UK drug majors will be hoping he’s successful.

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Taylor Wimpey (LSE:TW.) was a regular here through February and March, investors attracted by a low share price and 8% dividend yield. It dropped off the top 10 list a couple of months ago but, after making it to 13th the week before, is back here at number eight.

A single stock represents the US market this week following a dramatic slump in value last Wednesday. Comments fromApple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s services chief that search engines like Google will eventually be replaced by AI alternatives, triggered a 9% drop in Alphabet Inc Class A (NASDAQ:GOOGL)’s share price. That attracted bargain hunters, which helped Alphabet make its debut in the top 10 list of most-bought stocks in ISAs.

Apple’s Eddy Cue did the damage in his testimony as part of the Justice Department’s lawsuit against Alphabet. It’s accused of illegally maintaining a monopoly by paying platform providers to be their default search engine. Concern is that a ruling against the company will have a big impact on its ad revenue.

Top 10 funds and trusts in ISAs

The two most popular funds were unchanged last week, with Royal London Short Term Money Mkt Y Acc (B8XYYQ8) and Vanguard LifeStrategy 80% Equity A Acc (B4PQW15) holding on to first and second place.

Royal London’s fund offers a “cash-like” return by investing in money market instruments, such as bonds about to mature and overnight savings tools offered by banks. Yields are normally just above the Bank of England interest rate, which was recently cut to 4.25%. Money market funds are a popular alternative to using bank savings accounts, as returns are generally higher, and they can be held inside of ISAs and SIPPs. 

Meanwhile, Vanguard’s product is a “fund of fund”, owning a range of Vanguard’s own tracker funds to track equity and bond markets from around the world. Vanguard's 100% Equity version of its LifeStrategy range was also very popular last week, rising six places to fourth.

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The other big riser was Greencoat UK Wind (LSE:UKW), an income investment trust that returns money to investors from a portfolio of renewable energy assets spread across the UK. It was the third most popular fund, up two places. The trust currently yields 8.75%. 

HSBC FTSE All-World Index C Acc (BMJJJF9), Scottish Mortgage Ord (LSE:SMT), Fidelity Index World P Acc (BJS8SJ3), City of London Ord (LSE:CTY) and Vanguard FTSE Glb All Cp Idx £ Acc (BD3RZ58) all fell in popularity, but kept their places in the top 10 list. L&G Global Technology Index I Acc (B0CNH16) held onto sixth spot.

Funds and trusts section written by ii’s Sam Benstead.