Which Stocks to Invest In for 2025? A Complete Guide for Investors

Investing in stocks is attracting more and more individuals seeking financial growth. For beginners, the range of choices can seem overwhelming: between international companies, tech stocks, major banks, or even index funds, it’s easy to get lost. This comprehensive guide aims to walk you step-by-step through identifying the best strategy, building a solid portfolio, and choosing among the most promising investment options in 2025, including the iShares MSCI World SRI UCITS ETF EUR (Acc), a fund that stands out for its responsible approach.

Introduction

The stock market allows you to invest in the capital of large listed companies through the purchase of shares. Each share represents a portion of ownership in the company. The primary goal of investing in stocks is to increase your capital value through two possible levers: appreciation of the share price over time (capital gains) and receipt of dividends (a portion of profits distributed to shareholders).

Starting on the markets requires understanding not only the mechanisms of how stock exchanges work but also the criteria for selecting a stock or fund: fundamental analysis, technical analysis, diversification, risk management, fees, accessibility... all elements we detail to illuminate your journey as an investor.

How Does the Stock Market Work?

Before placing capital, it is essential to grasp the basics of the financial market:

  • International Exchanges: Trading platforms such as Euronext Paris or the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) where you can buy and sell shares of companies or ETF shares.
  • Role of the Stock Market: The stock market enables companies to finance their development and investors to access global economic growth.
  • Regulation and Transparency: All transactions take place within a regulated framework, with strict rules aimed at protecting investors.

Selecting Which Stocks to Invest In for 2025

The offer is abundant: how do you choose the best stock or fund to invest in for 2025? To answer this question, it is essential to go through different stages of analysis, understand your own investor profile, your goals (growth, regular income, security?), your investment horizon, but also market trends like the rise of responsible investment or the attractiveness of global ETFs.

Fundamental Analysis: Understanding Companies and Funds

Fundamental analysis aims to evaluate the strength and earning potential of a company or fund by studying:

  • Its financial indicators (revenue, profit, profitability, debt...) ;
  • Its sector of activity and competitive positioning ;
  • Its growth prospects and innovations ;
  • The quality of its management and strategy ;
  • The general economic conditions, including market cycles, geopolitical situation, inflation, or global growth.

In 2025, investors are increasingly attentive to the integration of ESG criteria (environmental, social, and governance) into the selection of their investments, making instruments like the iShares MSCI World SRI UCITS ETF particularly interesting.

Focus on the iShares MSCI World SRI UCITS ETF EUR (Acc)

This exchange-traded fund (ETF) allows for investment in a diversified basket of international stocks while adhering to strict sector exclusion criteria and ESG standards. It follows the MSCI World SRI Select Reduced Fossil Fuels index, which includes large and mid-cap companies from developed countries that meet high environmental and social standards.

  • ISIN Code: IE00BYX2JD69
  • ETF Type: Accumulation (acc), meaning that dividends generated are automatically reinvested in the fund, increasing the value of the shares rather than being paid out to shareholders
  • Share Price (November 2025): Approximately €12.12
  • AUM (Assets Under Management): Over €6.4 billion
  • Number of Companies in Portfolio: Approximately 360
  • Current Expenses (TER): 0.20% per year
  • Replication Method: Physical — the fund actually holds the stocks of the companies comprising the index
  • Distribution Policy: Accumulation (dividends reinvested)
  • Sector Allocation: Multi-sector, primarily exposed to technology, healthcare, consumer goods, finance, etc.
  • Geographic Allocation: Mainly developed countries such as the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, etc.

Unlike a listed company, this type of ETF does not have its own P/E ratio, and the dividend yield is zero by construction, as it is a capitalization fund. Variations depend directly on the value of the held stocks and the performance of global markets. Beta is not systematically communicated, but the volatility of a responsible global ETF tends to approach that of global stock indices.

Historical Performance of the iShares MSCI World SRI UCITS ETF EUR (Acc)

Looking at past performance allows evaluating the robustness of a fund, even though past performance does not guarantee future results:

  • Annual performance over 1 year (to September 2025): +9.1%
  • Performance over 3 years: +11.7% per year on average
  • Performance over 5 years: +13% per year on average
  • Performance since inception (2017): +144%
  • Performance 2024: +17.87%
  • Performance 2023: +20.6%
  • Performance 2022: -16.4%
  • Performance 2021: +35.0%

For comparison, these performances are competitive compared to many active funds and confirm the interest of diversified passive management for long-term investors.

Technical Analysis

Technical analysis involves deciphering the graphical evolution of the price and using various indicators (moving averages, RSI, chart patterns...) to try to anticipate market trends. For an ETF such as the iShares MSCI World SRI UCITS ETF EUR (Acc), investors will mainly focus on:

  • The general price trend of the share
  • Resilience during market downturn phases
  • Momentum (strength of recent positive trends)

Regular growth and moderate volatility make this product a choice for a basic portfolio fund rather than a short-term speculation target.

Investment Strategies to Consider in 2025

Long-Term Investing

Buying stocks (or shares of funds) with a long-term perspective remains the preferred strategy for building a sustainable wealth. This involves selecting solid companies or indices aligned with your values and holding them for several years despite short-term fluctuations.

Using global responsible ETFs like the iShares MSCI World SRI UCITS ETF allows adopting a simple, effective, and sustainable issue-oriented approach while benefiting from broad geographic and sectoral diversification.

Diversification: The Key to Smoothing Risk

Diversifying your portfolio is essential for limiting the risk associated with underperformance of a single company or sector. With an international ESG ETF, diversification occurs naturally:

  • Geographic diversification: exposure to North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific...
  • Sectoral diversification: technology, healthcare, consumer goods, industry, finance...
  • Number of company diversification: about 360 different stocks in the fund

This strategy allows participating in the global growth dynamic while limiting the risk associated with specific events (bankruptcy, scandal, poor management...).

Comparison ETF vs Individual Stocks

Criterion ETF iShares MSCI World SRI UCITS ETF Individual Stock (example: TotalEnergies, LVMH, etc.)
Diversification Very broad: over 360 companies distributed globally Single company, concentrated risk
Geographic exposure Entire world (North America, Europe, Asia...) Country where the company is headquartered
Fees TER approximately 0.20% per year No management fees (excluding brokerage), but individual research and monitoring required
Dividend policy Dividends automatically reinvested (Accumulation) Depends on the company's policy: potential dividend payout
Simplicity of access Bought like a stock through an online broker Bought through broker as well, individual monitoring required
ESG alignment Strict ESG selection via MSCI filtering Depends on the chosen company's sustainability efforts
Volatility Correlated to the global market, generally moderate Depends on the company's profile: low or high volatility depending on the case

Investing in a Global ESG ETF: The Steps

1. Open a Stock Account or a PEA

To purchase shares of an ETF such as the iShares MSCI World SRI UCITS, you first need to open a regular stock account (CTO) or, if possible, a Plan d'Epargne en Actions (PEA). The CTO is open to all listed products, while the PEA offers tax advantages but is not compatible with all foreign ETFs.

2. Choose your Online Broker

Compare brokers based on their trading fees, execution speed, platform ergonomics, and range of financial instruments (stocks, ETFs, bonds...).

3. Search for the ETF Using the ISIN Code

Use the ISIN code IE00BYX2JD69 or the full name of the fund to find it on your broker's platform. Always verify that it is indeed the "EUR Acc" (euro accumulation) version.

4. Place the Buy Order

Specify the number of shares to acquire and place the order according to your strategy: at market (immediate execution), at limited price (only below a certain price), etc. You can invest periodically or set up monthly scheduled purchases to smooth out your entry point over the long term.

5. Monitor Your Investment

Regularly monitor the value of your shares, news about the markets or the ETF, and adjust your allocation based on your goals and the evolution of the economic climate.

What Risks Should Be Known?

Like any equity investment, ETFs are subject to several types of risks:

  • Market Risk: The value of the shares fluctuates according to the health of international stock markets.
  • Currency Risk: Since the companies in the fund are international, fluctuations in exchange rates can affect the euro value.
  • Tracking Error Risk: The performance difference between the ETF and its benchmark index is generally low but still exists.
  • Sectoral and Geographic Risk: Even with broad diversification, some regions or sectors may outperform or underperform the overall market.
  • Regulatory Risk: Legislative changes regarding taxation or sustainable investment standards can have an impact.

Frequently Asked Questions about Stock Investments and ETFs

How do you actually invest in the iShares MSCI World SRI UCITS ETF EUR (Acc)?

Simply sign up with an online broker or a compatible bank, open a share account or a PEA if the ETF is eligible, then enter the ISIN code or the name of the fund into the internal search engine. Decide on the amount to invest, choose your order type, and confirm the purchase.

What are the advantages of a global ESG ETF?

You benefit from immediate diversification, reduced management fees, passive management minimizing human errors, and strict selection based on sustainability criteria. You follow the evolution of the largest "best-in-class" companies in terms of environmental, social, and governance aspects in developed countries.

Who is this type of investment aimed at?

The iShares MSCI World SRI UCITS ETF EUR (Acc) is aimed at individual investors who want international exposure that is responsible and diversified without having to follow each company individually. It suits profiles looking for long-term growth without daily intensive monitoring.

How do you analyze an individual stock in 2025?

To select a stock, three main axes should be prioritized:

  • Basic Analysis: Study the financial results, growth, profit margin, debt, competitive position, and quality of management of the target company.
  • Tactical Analysis: Examine price curves, uptrends or downtrends, support and resistance zones, trading volumes.
  • Sectoral and Macroeconomic Analysis: Understand underlying trends (technology, healthcare, energy transition...), the influence of monetary policy, the evolution of regulatory context or consumption habits.

Finally, it is recommended to systematically compare the performance of an individual stock with major indices or international ETFs to verify its relevance in a diversified portfolio.

Summary: Which Strategy to Prioritize in 2025?

The financial environment of 2025 remains complex, with economic slowdown in some regions and dynamism of innovation on a global scale. It is recommended for individual investors to build a balanced portfolio, combining diversified responsible ETFs (such as the iShares MSCI World SRI UCITS ETF EUR Accumulation) and, possibly, a few carefully selected individual stocks for strong convictions or specific yield searches.

Adopting progressive management, making regular investments, monitoring fees, prioritizing diversification, and never investing without studying the associated risks are the keys to sustained success in the stock market. Global ESG ETFs stand out in 2025 as a solution that is both simple, effective, aligned with tomorrow's major challenges, and accessible to all beginner investors.