Net sales of UCITS and AIFs totalled EUR 78 billion, up from EUR 38 billion in February, according to the latest data from the European Fund and Asset Management Association (EFAMA).

The organisation has released its latest monthly investment fund industry fact sheet, which provides data on UCITS and AIFs sold in March 2021 at European level and by country of fund domiciliation. It reports on 29 associations across Europe representing 98 percent of total UCITS and AIF assets in Europe provided EFAMA with net sales data for the month.

Its findings revealed that long-term UCITS (excluding money market funds) recorded EUR 71 billion of net sales, down from EUR 88 billion in February, but that equity funds recorded net sales of EUR 56 billion, up from EUR 52 billion in the previous month.

Meanwhile, net sales of bond funds dropped to roughly zero, compared to net sales of EUR 22 billion in February.

From the perspective of inflows, UCITS recorded net inflows of EUR 69 billion, compared to EUR 34 billion in February. Multi-asset funds reported net inflows of EUR 13 billion, up from EUR 10 billion, and AIFs recorded net inflows of EUR 8 billion, also up from February’s total, which was EUR 4 billion. However, UCITS money market funds recorded net outflows of EUR 2 billion, compared to net outflows of EUR 54 billion in February.

Overall, the total net assets of UCITS and AIFs increased by 4.5 percent to EUR 19.96 trillion, with UCITS net assets increasing 7.5 percent in the first quarter to EUR 12.6 trillion.

Bernard Delbecque, Senior Director for Economics and Research commented: “Net sales of equity UCITS remained exceptionally strong in March, whereas demand for bond UCITS fell to its lowest levels since March 2020, primarily due to rising inflation expectations and bond yields.”