Emerging Market ETFs Attract $21B on LatAm and South Korea Rally
Emerging markets equity ETFs recorded $21B of inflows in January, triple the previous monthly high, driven by Latin American rallies and South Korea’s nearly 30% gain over recent months. Meanwhile, software ETF IGV drew $1.6B in its largest weekly cash inflow and equal-weight ETF RSP saw performance-driven demand.
1. Record Inflows into Emerging Markets ETFs
In January, emerging markets equity ETFs amassed $21 billion in net new assets, marking a threefold increase over the previous record monthly inflows. This surge underscores heightened investor interest in non-U.S. equities after a period of underweight positioning.
2. Latin America and South Korea Lead Gains
Latin American country ETFs benefited from broad-based rallies, while South Korean equity funds saw underlying indexes climb almost 30% in recent months. These performance gains translated directly into outsized fund flows as investors chased returns.
3. Rotation into Thematic and Equal-Weight Funds
The software ETF IGV attracted $1.6 billion in its largest weekly inflow ever, even after a 40% decline from October peaks, indicating dip-buying behavior. Simultaneously, the RSP equal-weight S&P 500 ETF captured significant assets following a 6.5% year-to-date outperformance versus the cap-weighted index.