Global exchange-traded fund (ETF) and exchange-traded product (ETP) assets reached an all-time high of $1.9 trillion at the end of November 2012, according to figures from ETFGI, a London-based consultancy firm.
Assets in ETFs and ETPs reached $1.3 trillion in the US, $359 billion in Europe, $78.7 billion in Asia Pacific (ex-Japan), $46.9 billion in Japan and $11.6 billion in Latin America.
Year to date through end of November 2012, ETF and ETP assets have increased by 23.8% from $1.5 trillion to $1.9 trillion.
Over the past 10 years the global compounded annual growth rate of these products has been 30.2%. There are currently 4,726 ETFs and ETPs, with 9,719 listings, assets of $1.9 trillion, from 208 providers on 56 exchanges.
In November, $9 billion was invested into ETFs and ETPs providing exposure to US equity indices, reversing nearly all of the outflows during October. Overall, $21.3 billion of net new money went into ETFs and ETPs in the month of November.
Looking year to date through end of November 2012, ETFs and ETPs saw net inflows of $223 billion, $69 billion above the level of net new assets at this time last year. Equity ETFs and ETPs have gathered the largest net inflows accounting for $127 billion followed by fixed income ETFs and ETPs with $61 billion and commodity ETFs and ETPs capturing $22 billion.
“We are likely to end 2012 with a record level of assets in ETFs and ETPs and with a record level of net new assets invested into the products during the year” according to Deborah Fuhr, Managing Partner at ETFGI.
Equity-focused ETFs and ETPs have gathered $127 billion, which is $36 billion more than all of last year. Products providing exposure to North American equity indices have been the most popular receiving $62 billion, followed by emerging market equity with $38 billion and Asia Pacific equity with $9.6 billion.
Fixed Income ETFs and ETPs have proven to be very popular tools this year with $61 billion in net new assets, gathering $16 billion more than all of last year. Corporate bond products have gathered the largest net inflows with $24.5 billion, followed by high yield with $14 billion.
Commodity flows at $22.5 billion are $5.5 billion above this time last year. Precious metals have gathered the largest net inflows with $19.8 billion, while agriculture experienced the largest net outflows with $1.4 billion.