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Christine St Anne is Morningstar's online funds and ETFs editor.

An Australian finance commentator recently highlighted that the ASX Accumulation 200 Index has virtually given investors no returns over the past five years.

Despite the inclusion of dividend payments and two market corrections during that period, investors have been left with with a tiny 2.38 per cent return.

Investors can only expect further volatility. The US is going through a period of deflation, and once again, debt threatens to strangle parts of Europe. At the same time, China and the emerging markets continue to grow.

These events, while global, have hit the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). To date, the ASX continues to languish around the low 4000 mark.

Some sectors in the Australian sharemarket, however, have managed to outperform the S&P/ASX 200 Accumulation Index over the past five years.

The S&P/ASX 200 Resources delivered a 7.78 per cent return. Over the same period, the S&P/ASX 300 Metals & Mining posted an 8.44 per cent return, while the S&P/ASX 200 Energy delivered a 6.29 per cent return.

Although analysts are predicting a slowdown in growth in the later part of the year, it looks like Australia's two-speed economy will remain.

The mining and energy sectors will continue to benefit from hotspots in India and China, according to Aii Investments' Annmaree Varelas.

Varelas says while it is difficult to choose the right stocks that can perform against market volatility, investors can boost exposure to a number of sectors, including mining and energy.

A number of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) give investors sector-specific exposure. These ETFs include the Aii S&P/ASX 200 Resources (RSR), the Aii S&P/ASX 200 Metals and Mining (MAM), the Aii S&P/ASX 200 Energy (ENY) and the SPDR S&P/ASX 200 Resources Fund (OZR).

Morningstar notes in its reports that sector ETFs can give investors decent access to commodity producers in one transaction. However, many investors could be exposed to emerging market risks if they already hold a broad market index.