These top 2 ASX 200 shares have thumped the index’s 2021 returns

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), down 0.3% in afternoon trading, has had a strong run so far in 2021, up 4.2%.

Now with the stellar gains posted in the months following the pandemic market crash lows of late March 2020, 4.2% may not raise many investor eyebrows. But those types of rocketing share price gains obviously can’t run forever.

As we’re less than halfway through April, my back of the napkin maths indicates that, should the 2021 trend continue apace, the ASX 200 would gain more than 14% over the full year. Which doesn’t even include the dividends many of these blue-chip shares are back to paying.

Certainly not a bad place to…