May 8 - Global equity funds attracted net purchases for a seventh week in a row in the period through May 6, with investors adding a net $4.35 billion, according to LSEG Lipper data. The weekly inflow was the smallest since the week of March 18, underscoring a modest cooling in the pace of equity buying despite still-positive momentum.
The MSCI World Index reached a record high of 1,108.94 on Thursday, a move supported by a technology-led rally and notably strong results from chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices, which helped lift sentiment across global markets. LSEG data covering 1,060 MSCI World constituents showed combined first-quarter earnings rose 22% from a year earlier, outperforming analysts' average forecasts by approximately 6.3%.
Regional and sector flows
Flows varied significantly by region. Asian equity funds led the regional inflows with a net $3.35 billion, followed by European funds with $1.56 billion in net purchases. U.S. equity funds diverged from the broader trend, recording net outflows of $2.26 billion for the week.
Sector-level activity showed a concentration of buying in technology-themed funds, which drew a net $2.83 billion. In contrast, healthcare sector funds experienced net sales of $2.05 billion, indicating uneven investor interest across industry groups.
Fixed income and money-market demand
Global bond funds recorded net inflows of $17.04 billion during the week, marking the largest weekly addition since February 18. Dollar-denominated medium-term bond funds were a standout within fixed income, attracting a net $4.58 billion - their biggest weekly inflow since February 2. Euro-denominated bond funds and short-term bond funds also drew net inflows of $1.6 billion and $1.5 billion, respectively.
Demand for money market funds surged, with investors adding a net $148.18 billion, the strongest weekly intake since January 7.
Other asset flows and emerging markets
Investors continued to pull money from precious metals vehicles, selling a net $1.08 billion of gold and other precious metal funds for the second consecutive week of outflows. In emerging markets, bond funds experienced a net withdrawal of $63 million, ending a four-week run of inflows, and equity funds in emerging markets recorded net sales of $1.46 billion. These figures reflect differentiated appetites across asset classes and regions during the period covered.
The aggregated data covered 28,871 funds and highlights a market environment in which corporate earnings and sector-specific performance - particularly in technology - have supported risk assets, even as flows to some traditional safe-haven and specific sectors cooled.