There are 1,435 ETFs listed in the U.S., while 19 new funds have launched so far this year while 30 have delisted. Total assets under management are $1.45 billion.
“U.S. listed ETFs are tearing it up when it comes to new capital flowing into the product,” Colas said, adding that daily inflows are about $970 million a day on average.
“The industry is too young to model out seasonality accurately – the proclivity for investors to add capital at specific periods of the year – so we’ll have to wait and see if the 2013 run rates hold,” the strategist wrote.
“Personally, I believe they will and the industry will end up gathering something more than $200 billion for 2013 as a whole. It is certainly off to a good start,” Colas said. “The rally in equities may leave mutual fund investors yawning with ennui, but ETF owners (to the degree these are two different buyers) are buying with both hands.”
Full disclosure: Tom Lydon’s clients own GLD.