The Australian exchange traded fund industry hit a new all-time high in August of $23.6 billion in funds under management (FUM), according to the BetaShares Australian ETF Review.
The industry gained a modest 1% (or $220 million) in FUM, building on the positive growth from July, which had marked the previous record.
With the decline in the Australian share market and a flat month for most other global markets, all the growth in the industry was attributable to new money rather than asset value growth. During the month, there were $280 million of inflows into the industry.
International equities and fixed income continued to be the categories receiving the most interest from investors, with $140 million and $83 million of the month’s inflows, respectively.
Product growth continued unabated, with five new funds being launched, including three new products from the BetaShares Global Sector Series (Global Banks (BNKS), Global Agriculture (FOOD), Global Healthcare (DRUG), AMP Capital Dynamic Markets Fund (Hedge Fund) (DMKT) and Schroders Real Return Fund (GROW)). The new funds add up to a total of 25 products being launched so far in 2016.
BetaShares Managing Director, Alex Vynokur, said: “The strong demand for exchange traded funds from Australian investors and their need for diversification is driving product growth across the industry.”
“As demand grows and Australian investors become increasingly sophisticated with their usage of exchange traded funds, we expect to see further product innovation to meet this evolving demand.”
The best performing exposures in August were Asian Equities, including broad Asian regional exposures and the currency-hedged BetaShares WisdomTree Japan ETF (HJPN). Both recorded a monthly performance of approximately 6%.
| Product Series | Product | Ticker |
| Cash & Fixed Income ETFs | Australian High Interest Cash ETF | AAA |
| Commodity ETFs | Agriculture ETF – Currency Hedged (Synthetic) | QAG |
| Commodities Basket ETF – Currency Hedged (Synthetic) | QCB | |
| Crude Oil Index ETF – Currency Hedged (Synthetic) | OOO | |
| Gold Bullion ETF – Currency Hedged | QAU | |
| Currency ETFs | British Pound ETF | POU |
| Euro ETF | EEU | |
| U.S. Dollar ETF | USD | |
| Equities ETFs | FTSE RAFI Australia 200 ETF | QOZ |
| Financials Sector ETF | QFN | |
| Resources Sector ETF | QRE | |
| Equity Income Funds | Australian Dividend Harvester Fund (managed fund) | HVST |
| Equity Yield Maximiser Fund (managed fund) | YMAX | |
| Geared Funds | Geared Australian Equity Fund (hedge fund) | GEAR |
| Geared US Equity Fund – Currency Hedged (hedge fund) | GGUS | |
| International Funds | FTSE RAFI U.S. 1000 ETF | QUS |
| Global Agriculture ETF – Currency Hedged | FOOD | |
| Global Banks ETF – Currency Hedged | BNKS | |
| Global Energy Companies ETF – Currency Hedged | FUEL | |
| Global Gold Miners ETF – Currency Hedged | MNRS | |
| Global Healthcare ETF – Currency Hedged | DRUG | |
| NASDAQ 100 ETF | NDQ | |
| S&P 500 Yield Maximiser Fund (managed fund) | UMAX | |
| WisdomTree Europe ETF – Currency Hedged | HEUR | |
| WisdomTree Japan ETF – Currency Hedged | HJPN | |
| Managed Risk Funds | Managed Risk Australian Share Fund (managed fund) | AUST |
| Managed Risk Global Share Fund (managed fund) | WRLD | |
| Short Funds | Australian Equities Bear Hedge Fund | BEAR |
| Australian Equities Strong Bear Hedge Fund | BBOZ | |
| US Equities Strong Bear Hedge Fund – Currency Hedged | BBUS | |
| Active | AMP Capital Dynamic Markets Fund (Hedge Fund) | DMKT |
| AMP Capital Global Infrastructure Securities Fund (Unhedged) (Managed Fund) | GLIN | |
| AMP Capital Global Property Securities Fund (Unhedged) (Managed Fund) | RENT |
