BlackRock has released its ETP Landscape 2014 Year in Review. According to the company, the Global ETP industry AUM has grown 15% to over $2.7 trillion, driven by record inflows and increased adoption of ETFs among investors.
“The global ETP industry continues to grow at a double digit pace as ETPs attract a broader base of global investors than ever before. ETPs are being used by capital market participants looking for deep liquidity, to investors seeking precision exposures, to a growing segment of the market using ETFs as buy and hold investment vehicles,” says Amy Belew, Global Head of ETP Research at BlackRock.
“We are forecasting global ETP assets to double to $6 trillion over the next five years”. The secular trends of increased ETP adoption and market expansion contributed to record flows in 2014 and will be the driving forces behind future growth, according to BlackRock.
“The industry will continue to evolve to encompass new users and new uses. This will include, among others, an expanding retail segment in Europe and greater utilization of fixed income ETPs by banks and insurance companies. The breadth of strategies and exposures offered by ETPs, as well as more extensive cross-border investment brought by the globalization of the industry, should enable further market penetration. Regardless of the investment climate, ETPs are increasingly becoming viable alternatives to individual stocks and bonds, derivatives and mutual funds”.
Themes for 2015
Themes to watch in 2015 include smart beta, emerging markets and Japan equity, all of which remain compelling following notable contributions to 2014 flows.
Assets for smart beta equity have quadrupled since 2008. Investor appetite for tailored exposures not available via traditional market cap-weighted funds has accelerated in the past two years. Flows remained robust in 2014 after surging in 2013. Organic growth for smart beta is 18%, twice that of market-cap weighted equity ETPs.
Improved sentiment for emerging markets equity led to inflows of $4.3bn after redemptions reached ($10.3bn) in 2013. Valuations and economic growth levels remain attractive relative to developed markets. Flows into Japanese equity have reached $13.4bn. Still- attractive valuations and aggressive government stimulus makes this an important investment theme for 2015.
The sector, in 2014
According to the report, global ETP flows have reached $267.9bn through November, surpassing the previous full-year record set in 2012.
Increased adoption among institutions, intermediaries and individuals aided unprecedented expansion in the European and US markets. ETPs in Europe gathered $60.8bn, triple the amount last year, as market penetration increased and ECB bond purchases boosted fixed income flows. Accelerating US GDP growth propelled US-listed ETP flows to a record $193.5bn as demand for US equities and fixed income proved resilient.
Fixed income ETPs set a new record, gathering $78.6bn as appetite for yield and slower than expected global economic growth helped assets swell 21% to $430bn.