Even when the market crashed and a file $1.1 trillion was withheld from US-domiciled mutual funds, traders poured $609 billion into US-listed ETFs final 12 months. On June 13, the day earlier than the Federal Reserve rate-setting assembly, ETF buying and selling quantity reached a peak of 39% of inventory market turnover, in accordance with ICI statistics. Even in periods of comparatively low volatility, ETFs have gotten increasingly vital; in 2022, their market share by no means dropped beneath 21% on any buying and selling day, setting a brand new file that was considerably greater than the ground of 14% that was seen in 2021.
Even with the volatility within the first few months of 2023, ETFs have continued to make up 30% of buying and selling volumes. In distinction to main market exercise, which accounted for 14% of ETF buying and selling final 12 months, supporters declare that secondary market exercise made up 86% of ETF commerce. It’s because 14% of ETF buying and selling final 12 months got here from the first market, whereas 86% of commerce got here from the secondary market.
Main market buying and selling in home US inventory ETFs was $5.2 trillion in 2018, a rise from 4.6% in 2021. In keeping with the ICI, this low proportion indicated that buying and selling had little impact on the underlying shares.
Nonetheless, the truth that most ETFs are passive, index-tracking funds raises questions concerning the elevated share of buying and selling that they account for. Ninety-four p.c of US ETFs have been managed passively on the finish of the primary quarter of this 12 months.
Nonetheless, Antoniewicz disregarded any worries, stating that there are a number of kinds of passive funding. The selecting of an index was an “energetic determination,” she added, including there have been “a variety of various securities, asset courses, and tactical funding positions.”