27 associations representing more than 99.6 percent of total UCITS and non-UCITS assets at end March 2015 provided us with net sales and/or net assets data. The main developments in March 2015 in the reporting countries can be summarized as follows:
- Net assets of UCITS break through the EUR 9 trillion mark for the first time in March 2015.
- Net sales of UCITS remained strong in March attracting EUR 69 billion in net new money, albeit down from EUR 87 billion in February. This reduction in net sales can be attributed to a turnaround in net flows of equity funds and money market funds during the month.
- Long-term UCITS (UCITS excluding money market funds) registered a second consecutive month of net inflows of EUR 71 billion in March. Bond funds posted net sales of EUR 26 billion, being the same level as February. Equity funds experienced net outflows of EUR 3 billion, against net inflows of EUR 14 billion in February. Balanced funds registered a jump in net inflows to EUR 39 billion, up from EUR 22 billion in February.
- Money market funds registered a turnaround in net sales in March to post net outflows of EUR 2 billion, compared to net inflows of EUR 16 billion in February.
- Total non-UCITS net sales amounted to EUR 18 billion, compared to EUR 21 billion in February. Net sales of special funds (funds reserved to institutional investors) decreased to EUR 12 billion during the month from EUR 16 billion in February.
- Total net assets of UCITS stood at EUR 9,004 billion at end March 2015, representing a 2.5 percent increase during the month. Total net assets of non-UCITS increased 2.3 percent to stand at EUR 3,547 billion at month end. Overall, total net assets of the European investment fund industry stood at EUR 12,551 billion at end March 2015.
Long-term UCITS continued to attract strong net inflows in March thanks to a leap in net sales of balanced funds, which continued to attract investors by providing broad market, asset class and sector diversification.
