Equity Outpouring Helps January Win Fund Flow Race Going Away
Once again, it was domestic equities that led net inflows among fund types, netting $31.8 billion in January – again beating December’s $16.8 billion asset advance by a few lengths (See Funds Pull in $24.3B In December Asset Advance ),while International/Global came in a distant second place in January, taking in $13.4 billion – compared to December’s $9.44 billion inflow. Otherwise, the only other positive inflow was noted in the $3.14 billion recorded among Corporate bonds while the other fund categories – Government and Tax-Free – recorded net outflows for the month of $2.04 billion and $249 million, respectively, according to a Financial Research Corporation (FRC) report.
Per Morningstar fund category, it was Large-Cap Value that took the top prize, accumulating $6.51 billion in the month. This was followed by Moderate Allocation, gaining $5.40 billion in terms of net flows. The rest of the top five was composed of:
- Foreign Large-Cap Blend – $3.59 billion
- Small-Cap Blend – $2.9 billion
- Large-Cap Blend – $2.77 billion
Fund Families
Vanguard Group and Fidelity Investments held the top fund group spots in January, with $637 billion and $631 billion, respectively. Behind the two sizeable fund families in the total asset race were:
- American Funds – $504 billion
- Franklin Distributors Inc. – $192 billion
- PIMCO Funds – $147 billion.
Among January best sellers was American Funds at the top, netting a $11.6 billion inflow. This was followed up by Vanguard’s $10.9 billion, Fidelity’s $4.72 billion, Dodge & Cox’s $2.83 billion, and T. Rowe Price’s $2.63 billion.
Top Sellers
In the top slots for January’s hot fund sellers were:
- American Funds Growth Fund – $3.05 billion
- Dodge & Cox’s Stock Fund – $1.93 billion
- Vanguard Total Stock Index – $1.34 billion
- American Funds Balanced – $1.32 billion
- American Funds European Pacific Growth – $1.23 billion