It seems like the Eurozone financial crisis is fading somewhat as billions in new cash inflows head into European exchange traded funds over January.
Investors funneled $3.3 billion into 591 ETFs that covered the European markets, bringing Europe-related ETFs assets under management to $220 billion, reports Simon Jessop for Reuters. Europe equity ETFs attracted the lion’s share of the new inflows, with $2.1 billion in new money or a 1.3% rise month-over-month. [Investors are Exploring with International ETFs: Schwab]
European assets have garnered greater attention since the European Central Bank committed to preserving the euro currency in July 2012, assuaging the markets of any imminent collapse in the financial system.
Markit data revealed that peripheral Eurozone indices benefited the most as investment flows returned to the region after taking the brunt of the hit during the worst of the sovereign debt crisis.
“ETFs in Europe continued to gain traction in 2013. Given the performance of European stock markets, it is not surprising that equity-focused exchange traded products saw the largest inflows,” Len Welter, Director, ETFs at Markit, said in the article.