2009 has been a very good year for investors in mutual funds

NEW YORK (AP) — Mutual-fund investors should get a feeling of satisfaction when they read their year-end statements.

A fourth-quarter blip padded the already huge gains that recovering stocks and funds enjoyed in 2009. Among the year’s top performers: Funds that focused on high-tech stocks, materials producers and gold.

The best performances came from parts of the market that investors will benefit from a recovery in the world’s economy.

Global science and technology funds returned an average 8.5 percent for the October-December quarter and 69.5 percent for the year, according to fund tracker Lipper Inc. The latest figures reflect trading through Thursday, and so don’t include the final four trading days of the fourth quarter.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index is up 6.7 percent for the quarter and 24.9 percent for the year.

Meanwhile, funds that invest in the stocks of basic materials producers returned 10.3 percent in the quarter and 66.8 percent for the year as commodities prices jumped because of a drop in the dollar. Commodities are priced in dollars and become more affordable to foreign buyers when the dollar falls. Prices for commodities also rose as expectations grew that demand for goods and materials would pick up as economies strengthened, particularly in developing countries like China, Brazil and India.

Gold funds returned 8.5 percent in the fourth quarter and 52.9 percent for the year as the dollar fell.