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Despite a stock market hitting record highs throughout the year and bond yields remaining near historically low levels, U.S. investors continue to favor bond and money market funds over equity funds, especially actively managed stock funds.
According to Morningstar's latest U.S. fund flows report, investors withdrew an estimated net $14.8 billion from U.S. equity funds in October while investing an estimated net $75.3 billion in money market funds and close to $50 billion net in bond funds, split 5:1 between taxable and muni funds. The totals include mutual fund and ETF asset flows.
Year-to-date numbers were even more dramatic: Estimated net outflows of $36 billion from U.S. equity funds versus net inflows of $411.6 billion in U.S. bond funds and $443.2 billion into money market funds. Taxable bond funds saw net inflows almost three times as great as net inflows into muni funds.
"Demand for U.S. equity vehicles simply isn't there…. despite the S&P 500 having gained 23.3% year to date through October," according to the Morningstar report. "Investors continue to cut risk, with taxable bond and municipal bond funds the long-term groups receiving significant inflows." (Money market funds are not categorized as long-term funds.)
More specifically, demand for actively managed equity funds isn't there.
They experienced more than $204 billion in net outflows for the one year ended Oct. 31, while passive equity funds had net inflows of $222.3 billion.
