U.S.-listed ETF inflows are reaching record levels. Nearly $100 billion poured into U.S. ETFs in March, pushing first quarter 2021 flows to a record $251 billion, according to State Street Global Advisors' ETF Flash Flows report.
If this growth rate continues, ETFs could attract close to $1 trillion by year-end — or about $950 billion — which would be nearly double 2020's record $505 billion of inflows, writes Matthew Bartolini, head of SPDR Americas Research at State Street Global Advisors.
"That's a big-time projection, and unlikely to occur … [but] even if ETFs were able to amass the long-term five-year median monthly flows for the next nine months, the full year 2021 figures could net out around $553 billion …[which] would make 2021 a record flow year, surpassing 2020 by over $40 billion," explained Bartolini.
First quarter ETF inflows were more than four times the typical quarterly average, he says.
Equity ETFs experienced much of the demand for U.S. ETFs in March and in the first quarter, with inflows of $89 billion and $210 billion, respectively.
Fixed income flows were $13 billion in March and $44.2 billion in the first quarter, even as close to two-thirds of bond ETFs positive negative returns on the quarter due to rising rates.
Commodity ETFs saw net outflows of $6.2 billion, with over $4.5 billion withdrawn in March alone, primarily from gold-related ETFs. a
Among equity ETFs, U.S. stock ETFs led with $127.7 billion in first quarter inflows versus about $80 billion for non-U.S. ETFs.
