Weekly Fund Flows:Oil lubricates EM pipe flows

A week dominated by taper and OPEC talk saw fund investors desert DMequities, moving into oil-sensitive EM mandates and HY funds. DM equityredemptions were the highest since end-July as DM ETF inflows (whichbenefitted from positive risk sentiment following the pick-up in bond yields)came to a halt (see top right chart), while MF investors continued to pull out forthe 31st consecutive week. EMEA equities gained inflows for the second weekin succession with MFs gaining the highest inflows since end-June driven byrising oil prices (see centre right chart). In the bond space, inflows into totalbond funds were at their highest level since July owing to strong gains in highyieldfunds However we believe oil prices have now overshot and think that thefeedback loop of higher oil prices pushing up inflation expectations andthereby bond yields is to subside. Elsewhere, investors continued to moveaway from sovereign bond funds last week with the bulk of redemptionsoriginating from US sovereign bonds while money market funds receivedinflows for a second week running.