Fund flow analysis: Global ETFs

Fund flow statistics are extremely helpful in understanding investor sentiment towards different sections of financial markets. Latest fund flow statistics available, for the week ending 30th March, from ETF.com, point to further improvement in risk appetite, but it is not once again broad based.

Inflows:

• Thanks to higher yellow metal prices, Market Vectors Gold miners ETF topped this week, with $6.29 billion inflow.
• Higher energy prices saw, First Trust Energy AlphaDEX gained second spot with $675 million inflow. Power shares QQQ received $550 million inflow.
• Some risk aversion can also be spotted, as iShares core U.S. aggregate received $451 million.
• Emerging markets still in favor. iShares MSCI Emerging markets received $445.5 million inflow.

Outflows:

• With improvements in risk appetite, investors dumped longer term bonds. iShares 20+ year Treasury bond saw $649 million outflow
• Some signs of risk aversion visible as investors dumped iShares iBoxx $ High yield corporate bond in tune of $623.3 million.
• Health care (First Trust Health Care AlphaDex) again saw outflow of $540 million.
• Investors finding lesser chance of rise in yield, can be inferred from dumping of iShares short Treasury bond in tune of $441 million.