For the first half of 2009, exchange traded funds (ETFs) had a decent period in which they accumulated enough assets to break records.

The numbers for the first six months of 2009 within the ETF industry are in, and they had a decent start, especially considering the state of the markets. According to Barclays, the U.S. assets in ETFs hit a high of $582.4 billion. The results top the industry’s previous high of $581 billion, set in December 2007, reports Luisa Beltran for Ignites.

So far, the U.S. ETF industry has gained $53.4 billion in net inflows. In reality, the most substantial growth came in earlier this year and during the fourth quarter of 2008, crediting the market meltdown for the ETF industry growth.

As of the end of July, 2009, there were 706 U.S.-listed ETFs available, and 659 funds are sitting the pipeline waiting for registration and approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). So far, the largest ETF providers are:

• Barclays Global Investors: $310.42 billion in assets under management
• State Street Global Advisors: $152.1 billion in assets under management
• Vanguard: $66.88 billion in assets under management

For more stories about ETF growth, visit our ETF 101 category.

Tags: ETF Performance Reports