(Sept 18): Global equity funds recorded their largest weekly outflow in nine months in the week through September 16, as a surge in oil prices heightened inflation concerns and expectations of a Federal Reserve interest-rate increase added to investor caution.
Investors withdrew a net US$23.21 billion (RM94.7 billion) from global equity funds, the biggest weekly outflow since Dec 17, 2025, LSEG Lipper data showed.
Crude oil prices climbed to four-month highs during the week, stoking inflation worries and pushing Treasury yields higher, weighing on growth-oriented funds.
The Fed raised interest rates by 25 basis points on Wednesday and indicated that further increases may be needed to curb inflation fuelled by higher energy costs linked to the war in Iran.
Investors withdrew a net US$31.44 billion from US equity funds, a fourth consecutive week of outflows. During the same period, European equity funds recorded net outflows of US$295 million, while Asian funds attracted net inflows of US$6.26 billion.
Weekly inflows into equity sector funds climbed to a six-week high of US$4.49 billion, led by technology, financials, and consumer discretionary funds, which attracted US$1.94 billion, US$1.31 billion and US$621 million, respectively.
Global bond funds attracted US$855 million in inflows, the smallest weekly amount since April 1.
Investors withdrew US$3.85 billion from high-yield bond funds and US$1.1 billion from euro-denominated bond funds, while adding US$2.96 billion to government bond funds and US$1.96 billion to short-term bond funds.
Money market funds recorded outflows of US$77.42 billion, ending a two-week streak of net purchases.
Among commodity funds, gold and other precious metals funds attracted US$1.17 billion, marking their ninth weekly inflow in the past 10 weeks. Energy funds posted weekly outflows of US$148 million, compared with an inflow of US$211 million in the previous week.
In emerging markets, equity funds recorded a second consecutive week of outflows, totalling US$1.61 billion.
Investors also withdrew US$167 million from bond funds following six consecutive weeks of inflows, according to data covering 29,002 funds.
Uploaded by Siow Chen Ming