Advertisement
MoneyMarkets & Investing

US stock fund buyers pull out US$9.4b in one week

Withdrawals mark the biggest outflow from the products since July 2012 as Fed concerns deepen

2-MIN READ2-MIN
US stocks fell on concerns about the Fed stimulus. Photo: Reuters
Reuters

Investors in funds based in the United States pulled roughly US$9.4 billion out of stock funds in the latest week, marking the biggest outflow from the funds since July 2012, data showed on Thursday.

A large chunk of the outflows over the week to August 21 came from the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust. Investors withdrew US$10.27 billion from the exchange-traded fund, which tracks the performance of the benchmark S&P 500 Index.

The index dropped 2.53 per cent over the weekly reporting period as positive US economic data reinforced concerns that the Federal Reserve would soon scale back its US$85 billion in monthly bond purchases.

Advertisement

"Fed actions are front-and-centre," said Jeff Tjornehoj, head of Americas research at Lipper. "We had plenty of people trying to avoid the next sell-off" in US stocks, which could occur when the Fed announced a reduction in its bond-buying.

US stock markets fell over the week partly on hesitation leading up to August 21, when the Federal Open Market Committee released the minutes of its July 30-31 meeting.

Advertisement

The minutes offered few clues on the timing of a reduction in the Fed's bond-buying programme.

Advertisement
Select Voice
Select Speed
1.00x