Int'l Equity ETFs Fuel $20B In Weekly Inflows
The MSCI Emerging Markets Index hit a record high this week, leading investors to plow billions into international equity ETFs.
Two weeks into the new year and ETF inflows are mirroring last year's torrid pace. Over the past week, investors added $20.1 billion to U.S.-listed ETFs. That brings year-to-date inflows up to $36.9 billion, just a tad ahead of the $35.2 billion seen at this same time a year ago.
This week's data, which measures the week ending Thursday, Jan. 14, showed the majority of new money heading into international equity ETFs. That's not something you see very often.
Led by the iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG), investors added $13.8 billion to international equity ETFs. That outpaced the $5.6 billion that went into U.S. fixed income ETFs and the $1.3 billion that went into U.S. equity ETFs.
Perhaps investors see value in international stocks, which haven't rallied nearly as much as their U.S. counterparts. Until this week, the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, which is tracked by the aforementioned IEMG, hadn't hit a new high since 2007. That 13-year-old peak was finally broken this week, which may have spurred some of the interest in IEMG and other international equity ETFs.
ARK ETFs On Fire
In addition to IEMG, another standout on the weekly inflows list is the ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK). One of 2020's biggest winners, ARKK continues to rocket higher in 2021, with a gain of 15% already in the first two weeks of the year.
Naturally, that's attracted the attention of investors, who plowed $1.3 billion into the fund over the past week and $1.7 billion into the fund since the start of the year. Assets under management in the ETF now stand at nearly $22 billion, compared to just $2 billion a year ago.
ARK's other funds have been popular as well. The seven ETFs in its suite have attracted inflows of more than $4 billion so far this year, lifting their assets under management to $42 billion. That makes ARK the 10th largest ETF issuer, according to the latest ETF.com League Table.
For a full list of this week's top inflows and outflows, see the tables below:
Top 10 Creations (All ETFs)
Ticker | Name | Net Flows ($,mm) | AUM ($, mm) | AUM % Change |
IEMG | iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF | 2,288.29 | 74,701.01 | 3.06% |
XLF | Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund | 1,505.65 | 30,046.60 | 5.01% |
VCIT | Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF | 1,394.07 | 43,592.11 | 3.20% |
MBB | iShares MBS ETF | 1,309.28 | 26,592.60 | 4.92% |
ARKK | ARK Innovation ETF | 1,296.73 | 21,889.53 | 5.92% |
DIA | SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust | 1,071.38 | 25,780.49 | 4.16% |
BND | Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF | 1,055.52 | 69,221.38 | 1.52% |
FTCS | First Trust Capital Strength ETF | 1,037.93 | 8,056.92 | 12.88% |
VTI | Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | 1,004.20 | 208,072.74 | 0.48% |
ICLN | iShares Global Clean Energy ETF | 868.00 | 6,661.51 | 13.03% |
Top 10 Redemptions (All ETFs)
Ticker | Name | Net Flows ($,mm) | AUM ($, mm) | AUM % Change |
SPY | SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust | -3,131.84 | 333,660.95 | -0.94% |
GLD | SPDR Gold Trust | -1,231.67 | 69,375.78 | -1.78% |
OMFL | Invesco Russell 1000 Dynamic Multifactor ETF | -867.12 | 1,309.56 | -66.21% |
VUG | Vanguard Growth ETF | -864.09 | 67,736.42 | -1.28% |
HYG | iShares iBoxx USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF | -843.19 | 23,824.65 | -3.54% |
IWF | iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF | -785.32 | 63,695.32 | -1.23% |
TLT | iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | -773.45 | 17,271.05 | -4.48% |
XLC | Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund | -678.11 | 11,146.29 | -6.08% |
USMV | iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF | -604.03 | 32,426.52 | -1.86% |
XLP | Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund | -487.19 | 12,406.26 | -3.93% |
ETF Weekly Flows By Asset Class
Net Flows ($, mm) | AUM ($, mm) | % of AUM | |
U.S. Equity | 1,328.72 | 3,190,098.73 | 0.04% |
International Equity | 13,811.97 | 1,116,615.25 | 1.24% |
U.S. Fixed Income | 5,635.99 | 971,452.60 | 0.58% |
International Fixed Income | 646.83 | 124,627.30 | 0.52% |
Commodities | -1,201.85 | 142,302.95 | -0.84% |
Currency | 114.84 | 1,996.56 | 5.75% |
Leveraged | -551.72 | 46,715.68 | -1.18% |
Inverse | 219.52 | 11,321.27 | 1.94% |
Asset Allocation | 17.81 | 13,450.70 | 0.13% |
Alternatives | 87.68 | 5,569.25 | 1.57% |
Total: | 20,109.78 | 5,624,150.30 | 0.36% |
Asset Classes (Year-to-Date)
Net Flows ($, mm) | AUM ($, mm) | % of AUM | |
U.S. Equity | 11,598.60 | 3,190,098.73 | 0.36% |
International Equity | 17,703.67 | 1,116,615.25 | 1.59% |
U.S. Fixed Income | 6,378.73 | 971,452.60 | 0.66% |
International Fixed Income | 1,504.98 | 124,627.30 | 1.21% |
Commodities | -208.22 | 142,302.95 | -0.15% |
Currency | 81.44 | 1,996.56 | 4.08% |
Leveraged | -1,399.61 | 46,715.68 | -3.00% |
Inverse | 999.15 | 11,321.27 | 8.83% |
Asset Allocation | 21.75 | 13,450.70 | 0.16% |
Alternatives | 257.29 | 5,569.25 | 4.62% |
Total: | 36,937.79 | 5,624,150.30 | 0.66% |
Top 10 Weekly Performers, Excluding Leverage/Inverse Funds and <1,000 Shares Traded
Ticker | Name | Weekly Performance | Weekly Volume | AUM ($, mm) |
VCAR | Simplify Volt RoboCar Disruption and Tech ETF | 27,393.45% | 16,167 | 12,406.26 |
GRU | Elements MLCX Grains Index-Total Return ETN | 16.41% | 59,810 | 3.90 |
POTX | Global X Cannabis ETF | 14.23% | 1,384,106 | 64.65 |
MLPO | Credit Suisse S&P MLP Index ETN | 12.09% | 6,026 | 19.98 |
THCX | The Cannabis ETF | 10.37% | 1,411,276 | 80.54 |
MSOS | AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF | 9.30% | 4,633,847 | 523.75 |
MJ | ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF | 9.14% | 13,420,699 | 1,373.08 |
YOLO | AdvisorShares Pure Cannabis ETF | 9.06% | 3,169,829 | 246.91 |
AMZA | InfraCap MLP ETF | 8.33% | 421,878 | 176.00 |
FTXN | First Trust Nasdaq Oil & Gas ETF | 7.74% | 47,855 | 20.52 |
Top 10 YTD Performers
Ticker | Name | YTD Performance | Weekly Performance | AUM ($, mm) |
VCAR | Simplify Volt RoboCar Disruption and Tech ETF | 27,393.45% | 27,393.45% | 20.52 |
POTX | Global X Cannabis ETF | 40.30% | 14.23% | 64.65 |
THCX | The Cannabis ETF | 33.68% | 10.37% | 80.54 |
BDRY | Breakwave Dry Bulk Shipping ETF | 29.35% | -3.68% | 24.87 |
MJ | ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF | 28.08% | 9.14% | 1,373.08 |
CNBS | Amplify Seymour Cannabis ETF | 27.62% | 7.64% | 43.38 |
MLPO | Credit Suisse S&P MLP Index ETN | 26.74% | 12.09% | 19.98 |
YOLO | AdvisorShares Pure Cannabis ETF | 26.06% | 9.06% | 246.91 |
MSOS | AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF | 24.03% | 9.30% | 523.75 |
CNRG | SPDR S&P Kensho Clean Power ETF | 23.80% | 3.51% | 328.83 |
Disclaimer: All data as of 6 a.m. Eastern time the date the article is published. Data is believed to be accurate; however, transient market data is often subject to subsequent revision and correction by the exchanges.