Morningstar Reports U.S. Mutual Fund and Exchange-Traded Fund Flows for March 2021

Rhea-AI Summary

Morningstar, Inc. (MORN) reported record U.S. mutual fund and ETF inflows of $156 billion for March 2021, surpassing the previous month’s $144 billion. Key highlights include $54 billion inflows into U.S. equities, driven by demand for value stocks, and $31 billion into international equities, the highest since January 2018. Fixed-income funds attracted over $48 billion, marking their 12th consecutive month of inflows. Vanguard led fund families with $42 billion collected, emphasizing the ongoing shift towards passive investment strategies.

Positive

• Record inflows of $156 billion for March 2021, surpassing previous records.
• U.S. equities attracted $54 billion, indicating strong investor confidence.
• Value-oriented funds saw significant inflows, with large-value strategies bringing in $20 billion, the largest on record.
• International equity funds collected $31 billion, the highest since January 2018.
• Fixed-income funds recorded over $48 billion in inflows, demonstrating sustained interest.

Negative

• None.

CHICAGO, April 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Morningstar, Inc. (Nasdaq: MORN), a leading provider of independent investment research, today reported estimated U.S. mutual fund and exchange-traded fund (ETF) flows for March 2021. For the month, long-term mutual funds and ETFs collected a record $156 billion, surpassing the $144 billion record set in February.

Morningstar's report about U.S. fund flows for March 2021 is available here. Additional highlights from the report include:

• U.S. equities took in a record $54 billion, well ahead of February 2021's $38 billion, the second-highest total in data going back to 1993. Resurgence in investor appetite for cheap stocks drove the inflows.
• Investors poured into value-oriented and cyclical funds at some of the highest rates in history. Large-value strategies had $20 billion of inflows, the largest sum for that category group on record. Small-value equity funds also had record inflows of $5.4 billion. Both groups posted the highest monthly organic growth rates in nearly two decades.
• International equity funds took in $31 billion, the category's highest total since January 2018. Diversified emerging-markets funds collected a record $14 billion.
• Fixed-income funds took in over $48 billion, their 12th consecutive month of inflows. They have collected $786 billion over the trailing 12 months, the most of any category group.
• Among U.S. fund families, Vanguard collected roughly $42 billion in assets in March, over 95% of which went to passive strategies, while iShares gathered $22 billion. Notably, after ARK ETF Trust's staggering $8 billion intake in February, the firm stepped out of the limelight in March, collecting a comparatively modest $880 million for the month.

To view the complete report, please click here.

The information contained herein: (1) is proprietary to Morningstar and/or its content providers; (2) may not be copied or distributed outside the scope of this press release; and (3) is not warranted to be accurate, complete, or timely. Neither Morningstar nor its content providers are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of this information. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

About Morningstar, Inc.
Morningstar, Inc. is a leading provider of independent investment research in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. The Company offers an extensive line of products and services for individual investors, financial advisors, asset managers, retirement plan providers and sponsors, and institutional investors in the debt and private capital markets. Morningstar provides data and research insights on a wide range of investment offerings, including managed investment products, publicly listed companies, private capital markets, debt securities, and real-time global market data. Morningstar also offers investment management services through its investment advisory subsidiaries, with approximately $227 billion in assets under advisement and management as of Dec. 31, 2020. The Company has operations in 29 countries. For more information, visit www.morningstar.com/company. Follow Morningstar on Twitter @MorningstarInc.

Morningstar's Manager Research Group consists of various wholly owned subsidiaries of Morningstar, Inc. including, but not limited to, Morningstar Research Services LLC. This press release is for informational purposes only; references to securities or a separately managed account investment strategy in this press release should not be considered an offer or solicitation to buy or sell the securities or to invest in accordance with that strategy.

©2021 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

MORN-R

Media Contact:
Sarah Wirth, +1 312 244-7358 or sarah.wirth@morningstar.com

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SOURCE Morningstar, Inc.

FAQ

What were the mutual fund and ETF inflows reported by Morningstar for March 2021?

Morningstar reported record inflows of $156 billion for mutual funds and ETFs in March 2021.

How much did U.S. equities attract in inflows during March 2021?

U.S. equities attracted $54 billion in inflows in March 2021.

What is the significance of the $20 billion inflow into large-value funds?

The $20 billion inflow into large-value funds is the largest sum recorded for that category.

What performance did international equity funds show in March 2021?

International equity funds collected $31 billion in March 2021, their highest total since January 2018.

What were the inflow trends for fixed-income funds in March 2021?

Fixed-income funds attracted over $48 billion in March 2021, marking their 12th consecutive month of inflows.