Global equity funds’ weekly inflows slow on geopolitical tensions

6:31 am Friday, November 22nd, 2024

(Reuters) – Inflows into global equity funds slowed in the week ending Nov. 20 due to geopolitical tensions between Russia and the West, with investors also anxious about the U.S. interest rate policy outlook for next year.

According to LSEG data, investors snapped up only net $7.97 billion worth of global equity funds during the week after a robust $49.84 billion worth of net purchases in the prior week.

Hopes for accelerated rate cuts waned, slowing inflows into equity funds as Fed Chair Jerome Powell indicated ongoing U.S. economic growth, robust job market and inflation above the 2% target mean there is no urgent need for the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates.

Investors racked up European and U.S. equity funds of net $4.17 billion and $2.98 billion, respectively, during the week, although it is a substantial reduction from $11.8 billion and $37.42 billion worth of net inflows a week ago.

Asian funds, meanwhile, had $744 million worth of net sales, the second weekly outflow in a row.

The financials and industrials sectors received a notable $1.53 billion and $571 million worth of inflows, respectively. Conversely, investors pulled out a net $550 million from the utilities sector.

Global bond funds attracted inflows for the 48th week in a row, totaling a net $9.61 billion.

Investors pumped a sharp $2.03 billion into loan participation funds, the biggest amount in 2-1/2 years. High yield bond funds also attracted a massive $2.12 billion, while investors ditched government bond funds worth $2.13 billion.

Meanwhile, investors exited $9.31 billion worth of money market funds after aggressive purchases in the previous two weeks.

The gold and precious metals funds attracted investments worth a net $966 million, marking a thirteenth weekly inflow in fifteen weeks.

Data covering 29,675 emerging market funds showed investors offloaded $5.49 billion worth of equity funds after about $5.78 billion worth of net disposals in the prior week. Bond funds also saw a $1.61 billion worth of sales.

(Reporting by Gaurav Dogra and Patturaja Murugaboopathy in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri)