Retail-cash outflows from high-yield funds ballooned to a shocking, record $7.07 billion in the week ended Aug. 6, with ETFs representing just 18% of the sum, or roughly $1.28 billion, according to Lipper. The huge redemption blows out past the prior record outflow of $4.63 billion in June 2013.
With four straight weeks of outflows from the asset class totaling $12.6 billion, the four-week trailing average expands to negative $3.15 billion per week, from $1.4 billion last week. This reading is also a record, eclipsing a prior record at $2.8 billion, also in June 2013.
The full-year reading is now deeply in the red, at $5.9 billion, with 43% of the withdrawal tied to ETFs. One year ago at this time outflows were $3.9 billion, with 15% linked to the ETF segment.
In addition to the huge outflow, the change due to market conditions was negative $1.24 billion, also the greatest negative move dating to June 2013. The change this past week is nearly negative 1% against total assets, which stood at $176.3 billion at the end of the observation period, with 19% tied to ETFs, or $34.1 billion. Total assets are up $6.5 billion in the year to date, reflecting a gain of roughly 4% this year. – Matt Fuller