U.S. markets ended the first quarter of 2016 in positive territory, which is quite a surprise considering the way the year started.

The end of the quarter means that it’s time for the Quarterly Mutual Fund Update (QMFU) here at AAII. This time around, the data was somewhat surprising. Precious metals were the top-performing funds overall during the first quarter, gaining 43.3% on average. This is a significantly different story from what we’ve seen in the recent past. Aside from precious metals, we also saw a turnaround in Latin America and emerging markets funds, two categories that have really taken a hit over the last couple years due to weak demand for commodities and economic turmoil. First-quarter fund data will be available at the Quarterly Mutual Fund Update section of AAII.com by the end of next week.

Why are we talking about mutual funds?

Because it’s another CI Best of the Web month! In this edition, we are highlighting the best websites for mutual fund and exchange-traded fund (ETF) data, ratings and recommendations, and screening. As always, if you have any recommendations for websites to be included in the Best of the Web, please contact us at CI@aaii.com.

This month we also have two guest authors, both of which I am happy to announce.

Wesley Gray, CIO and CEO of Alpha Architect, writes about the benefits of robo-investing and why you should consider using robo-services. Alpha Architect recently launched an automated investing service of its own, and it is definitely worth checking out.

Our second guest author is Raymond Rondeau. Rondeau is president of Q-Prime2, a member of the Market Technicians Association and president emeritus of the AAII Boston Chapter. He is not only a guest author this CI edition, but Ray is now officially a contributing editor of Computerized Investing. What does that mean? It means Ray will be taking over the Technically Speaking column and he will be starting a new series covering classic technical indicators. I’m very excited that he is joining the CI team and look forward to the series. This month we are kicking off the series with Part 1 of a Q&A between Ray and me, covering what investors should not expect from technical analysis and some potential caveats. Stay tuned for Part 2 next month.

Both of these authors spoke at our AAII Investor Conference in Las Vegas last November. If you’re interested in hearing, viewing and reading their presentations, check out our Investor Audio page.

The last article in this edition is a review of Stash Invest, a new investing application that helps individual investors put money aside via smartphone. To get started, all you need is $5. Stash’s methodology of “easy investing” is undoubtedly taking hold in the marketplace. Investment firms and financial advisers alike are realizing that accessibility has been a barrier when it comes to the marketplace. With more affordable and accessible tools, more individuals are able to invest and prepare for their future.

Have a great weekend.