The BlackRock ETP Landscape series of reports, the Industry Highlights provides commentary on the global Exchange Traded Products (ETPs) industry as of April 2014.
ETP flows exceed $30bn in record April as economic outlook stabilizes after a volatile first quarter.
- Global ETP inflows surged to a six-month high of $33.5bn in April and were broad-based, led by emerging markets, US large cap equity and renewed strength for non-US developed markets equity
- April marked a return to fundamentals-based investing with the global economy on more solid footing, headline risks muted, US earnings season off to a good start and the emerging markets driven equity volatility of Q1 out of the picture
- Emerging markets ETPs led both equity and fixed income flows during the month
- Broad EM equity gathered $5.9bn – the first positive month since October – though the late-March surge that continued into April slowed to close the month
- EM debt ETPs contributed $1.3bn – the best month since October 2012 – and investors continue to favor hard currency over local currency funds
- Non-US developed equity ETPs, which remain an attractive option for investors seeking relative value as the US bull market continues, generated flows of $9.9bn in April to regain momentum after a flat March
Sources: BlackRock, Bloomberg.