[UNLOCKED] Fund Flow Survey | Comping the Tantrum

03/14/16 02:55PM EDT

Editor's Note: This is a complimentary research note which was originally published March 10, 2016 by our Financials team. If you would like more info on how you can access our institutional research please email sales@hedgeye.com.

*  *  *  *

Investment Company Institute Mutual Fund Data and ETF Money Flow:

In the 5-day period ending March 2nd, high yield bond funds took in $3.6 billion, the second consecutive week of subscriptions after a 10 week drawdown where over -$28 billion was redeemed from the category. The substantial high yield subscription last week was the best 5 day period for high yield bond funds since July 24th, 2013 where in the middle of the Taper Tantrum, investors drew the line and stepped in to buy $5.1 billion in non-investment grade credit in the 29th week of that year. We caution for optimism however as an across cycle view, using a 5 week moving average, continues to relay the down trend for non-investment grade bonds. Below we outline the 5-week moving average of ICI's new high yield bond category against the price of crude oil which is still driving consternation for investors despite a slight bear market rally in oil.

[UNLOCKED] Fund Flow Survey | Comping the Tantrum - taper

 

Muni bonds and bond ETFs continue to be the real story in fixed income land with tax free issues taking in +$934 million, their 22nd consecutive week of subscriptions now totaling over $20 billion. Passive fixed income ETFs are also seeing substantial demand with another +$2.7 billion take this week, their 11th consecutive weekly inflow aggregating to +$24.3 billion.

Lastly, cash is king again according to ICI with money funds taking in +$26 billion in the past 5 days, a combination of risk aversion and tax season receipts. Year-over-year however, 2016 has now aggregated to a running total of +$44.8 billion having moved into money funds versus the -$60.1 billion drawdown that money funds experienced in the first 9 weeks of 2015. This cash moving back to the sidelines supports our Best Ideas long rating on Federated Investors (FII).


[UNLOCKED] Fund Flow Survey | Comping the Tantrum - ICI1 normal 3 14

 

In the most recent 5-day period ending March 2nd, total equity mutual funds put up net inflows of +$45 million, outpacing the year-to-date weekly average outflow of -$301 million and the 2015 average outflow of -$1.6 billion.

 

Fixed income mutual funds put up net inflows of +$4.1 billion, outpacing the year-to-date weekly average outflow of -$238 million and the 2015 average outflow of -$475 million.

 

Equity ETFs had net redemptions of -$44 million, outpacing the year-to-date weekly average outflow of -$4.0 billion but trailing the 2015 average inflow of +$2.8 billion. Fixed income ETFs had net inflows of +$2.7 billion, outpacing the year-to-date weekly average inflow of +$2.4 billion and the 2015 average inflow of +$1.0 billion.

 

Mutual fund flow data is collected weekly from the Investment Company Institute (ICI) and represents a survey of 95% of the investment management industry's mutual fund assets. Mutual fund data largely reflects the actions of retail investors. Exchange traded fund (ETF) information is extracted from Bloomberg and is matched to the same weekly reporting schedule as the ICI mutual fund data. According to industry leader Blackrock (BLK), U.S. ETF participation is 60% institutional investors and 40% retail investors.



Most Recent 12 Week Flow in Millions by Mutual Fund Product: Chart data is the most recent 12 weeks from the ICI mutual fund survey and includes the weekly average for 2015 and the weekly year-to-date average for 2016:

 

[UNLOCKED] Fund Flow Survey | Comping the Tantrum - ICI2

 

[UNLOCKED] Fund Flow Survey | Comping the Tantrum - ICI3

 

[UNLOCKED] Fund Flow Survey | Comping the Tantrum - ICI4

 

[UNLOCKED] Fund Flow Survey | Comping the Tantrum - ICI5

 

[UNLOCKED] Fund Flow Survey | Comping the Tantrum - ICI6



Cumulative Annual Flow in Millions by Mutual Fund Product: Chart data is the cumulative fund flow from the ICI mutual fund survey for each year starting with 2008.

 

[UNLOCKED] Fund Flow Survey | Comping the Tantrum - ICI12

 

[UNLOCKED] Fund Flow Survey | Comping the Tantrum - ICI13

 

[UNLOCKED] Fund Flow Survey | Comping the Tantrum - ICI14

 

[UNLOCKED] Fund Flow Survey | Comping the Tantrum - ICI15

 

[UNLOCKED] Fund Flow Survey | Comping the Tantrum - ICI16



Most Recent 12 Week Flow within Equity and Fixed Income Exchange Traded Funds: Chart data is the most recent 12 weeks from Bloomberg's ETF database (matched to the Wednesday to Wednesday reporting format of the ICI), the weekly average for 2015, and the weekly year-to-date average for 2016. In the third table are the results of the weekly flows into and out of the major market and sector SPDRs:

 

[UNLOCKED] Fund Flow Survey | Comping the Tantrum - ICI7

 

[UNLOCKED] Fund Flow Survey | Comping the Tantrum - ICI8



Sector and Asset Class Weekly ETF and Year-to-Date Results: In sector SPDR callouts, investors contributed +$1.1 billion or +4% to the SPDR Gold ETF and +$283 million or +5% to the industrials XLI ETF.

 

[UNLOCKED] Fund Flow Survey | Comping the Tantrum - ICI9



Cumulative Annual Flow in Millions within Equity and Fixed Income Exchange Traded Funds: Chart data is the cumulative fund flow from Bloomberg's ETF database for each year starting with 2013.

 

[UNLOCKED] Fund Flow Survey | Comping the Tantrum - ICI17

 

[UNLOCKED] Fund Flow Survey | Comping the Tantrum - ICI18



Net Results:

The net of total equity mutual fund and ETF flows against total bond mutual fund and ETF flows totaled a negative -$6.8 billion spread for the week (+$1 million of total equity inflow net of the +$6.8 billion inflow to fixed income; positive numbers imply greater money flow to stocks; negative numbers imply greater money flow to bonds). The 52-week moving average is +$130 million (more positive money flow to equities) with a 52-week high of +$20.5 billion (more positive money flow to equities) and a 52-week low of -$19.0 billion (negative numbers imply more positive money flow to bonds for the week.)

[UNLOCKED] Fund Flow Survey | Comping the Tantrum - ICI10

 


Exposures:
The weekly data herein is important for the public asset managers with trends in mutual funds and ETFs impacting the companies with the following estimated revenue impact:

 

[UNLOCKED] Fund Flow Survey | Comping the Tantrum - ICI11 

© 2024 Hedgeye Risk Management, LLC. The information contained herein is the property of Hedgeye, which reserves all rights thereto. Redistribution of any part of this information is prohibited without the express written consent of Hedgeye. Hedgeye is not responsible for any errors in or omissions to this information, or for any consequences that may result from the use of this information.