If we cast our minds back to 2015, Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars was dominating the charts, Louisa Johnson had just won the 12th series of The X Factor, and David Cameron was still Prime Minister.
From an investor perspective, companies like Netflix and Amazon had dominated the market, while in the UK, the top-performing stocks included ASOS, Taylor Wimpey, and Hargreaves Lansdown.
Since then, few could have predicted that Donald Trump would be elected to the White House on two separate occasions, Leicester would win the Premier League, and there would be the outbreak of a global pandemic.
Today, the world looks very different to how it did 10 years ago, and the market, particularly in the US, has become dominated by The Magnificent 7 stocks – Apple Inc., Microsoft Corp., Nvidia Corp., Amazon.com Inc., Tesla Inc., Alphabet and Meta.
Now, what the world will look like in 2035 is anyone’s guess. We’ll likely see the emergence of technologies and sectors that don’t even currently exist, and the performance of current market giants might not last forever.
When it comes to investing and utilising the benefits of an ISA, the core fundamentals remain the same regardless of social hype or market bets. Investors who embrace diversification and remain committed to investing in their ISAs through periods of market fluctuations are set to reap the rewards.
While it’s easy to “stay the course” when things are going well and more of a challenge when markets are volatile, standing firm and avoiding the noise will pay off in the long run.
Best performing UK stocks and sectors
| Stock | Sector | |
| 2005 – 2015 | ASOS (Returned 3,181.53%) | FTSE All-Share Chemical Index(Returned 456.56%) |
| 2015 – 2025 | Games Workshop (Returned 2,459.62%) | FTSE All-Share Leisure Goods Index (623.22%) |
Source: Bloomberg
Since 2015, those who invested their tax-free allowance every year into a stocks and shares ISA would have accumulated around £217,350. If this investment continued for a further 10 years to 2035, assuming that the ISA threshold remained set at £20,000, which the government confirmed that it would until at least 2030, then investors could expect to accumulate a further £241,409 in savings.
By contrast, those who have tried to time the market or chase short-term trends often find themselves missing out on long-term gains.
Best performing US stocks and sectors
| Stock | Sector | |
| 2005 – 2015 | Booking Holdings (Returned 4,704.93%) | S&P 500 Automative Retail Index(Returned 555.09%) |
| 2015 – 2025 | Nvidia (Returned 2,6691.02%) | S&P 500 Semiconductors Index(Returned 966.18%) |
Source: Bloomberg
Our Head of Investment Consultants Chris Rudden said: “Much like 2015, the investment landscape in 2035 will be shaped by innovation, demographic changes and global challenges, however, the exact nature of these developments or the companies that are set to benefit is almost impossible to determine.
“So when it comes to investing in your ISA, while the names of the best-performing stocks will come and go, the most important lesson for investors is that wealth creation requires time, patience and discipline.
“Investing isn’t necessarily about predicting the next big thing, it’s about staying the course, embracing innovation, and building a diversified portfolio that withstands market fluctuations. Whether in 2025, 2035, or beyond, these principles stand the test of time.”
*As with all investing, financial instruments involve inherent risks, including loss of capital, market fluctuations and liquidity risk. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. It is important to consider your risk tolerance and investment objectives before proceeding.
