Emerging Markets Lead Performance as Global Ex-U.S. ETFs Add $3.7 Billion

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Weekly Channel Summary

The Global Ex-U.S. Size & Style channel encompasses 346 ETFs from 99 issuers, with total assets under management standing at $1.96 trillion. This past week, the channel attracted over $3.7 billion in net new assets. These recent inflows contribute to a robust year-to-date total of $196.3 billion and a one-year total of $275.7 billion, signaling sustained investor interest in international equity exposures.

This Week’s Performance Leaders and Laggards

All Global Ex-U.S. categories posted gains this week, led by a strong showing from developing nations. The Emerging Large Cap category was the top performer, rising 1.93% and extending its year-to-date lead to an impressive 22.76%. On the other end of the spectrum, Global Ex-U.S. Large Cap – Growth funds lagged with a modest 0.33% weekly gain, also trailing other categories on a year-to-date basis.

Category Performance Snapshot

Category WTD 1 Month 3 Month 6 Month YTD 1 Year
Emerging Large Cap 1.93% 3.71% 1.01% 14.86% 22.76% 34.72%
Global Ex-U.S. Large Cap – Value 1.45% 2.28% 6.44% 11.13% 20.46% 32.37%
Emerging Small | Mid Cap 1.19% 4.05% 0.25% 8.60% 15.11% 18.35%
Global Ex-U.S. Large Cap – Blend 0.82% 1.81% 3.80% 9.72% 17.14% 26.45%
Global Ex-U.S. Small | Mid Cap 0.72% 4.21% 4.12% 7.81% 17.38% 26.81%
Global Ex-U.S. Large Cap – Growth 0.33% 1.02% 2.85% 8.49% 12.99% 19.69%

Top & Bottom 5 ETFs by Weekly Performance

Performance among individual funds was widely dispersed, with several emerging market strategies posting standout returns. The First Trust Emerging Markets Human Flourishing ETF (FTHF) surged 5.75%, making it the week’s top-performing fund in the channel. Conversely, the Touchstone International Equity ETF (TLCI) was the weakest performer, declining by 1.75%.

Ticker Fund Name WTD Performance
Top Performers
FTHF First Trust Emerging Markets Human Flourishing ETF 5.75%
EMEQ Nomura ETF Trust Nomura Focused Emerging Markets Equity ETF 4.07%
FRDM Freedom 100 Emerging Markets ETF 3.73%
RWEM Rayliant NxtGen Multifactor Emerging Markets Equity ETF 3.72%
EMCS Xtrackers MSCI Emerging Markets Select ETF 3.45%
Bottom Performers
TLCI Touchstone International Equity ETF -1.75%
MOTI VanEck Morningstar International Moat ETF -1.74%
IGGY AB International Growth ETF -1.74%
OSEA Harbor International Compounders ETF -1.47%
QLTI GMO International Quality ETF -1.22%

Analyzing the Weekly Flows

Investors allocated over $3.7 billion to Global Ex-U.S. ETFs this week, with the vast majority directed towards large-cap strategies. The Global Ex-U.S. Large Cap – Blend category was the clear favorite, pulling in over $2.3 billion in fresh capital. Emerging Large Cap funds also saw significant interest, attracting $815 million, while the Emerging Small | Mid Cap category was the only segment to experience net redemptions, albeit a minor $9 million.

Category Flows Summary

Category Fund Count AUM 5 Day 30 Day 90 Day YTD 1 Year
Global Ex-U.S. Large Cap – Blend 128 $1,183.26B $2,305M $11,088M $38,511M $109,884M $160,004M
Emerging Large Cap 104 $491.36B $815M $5,210M $15,345M $52,294M $73,487M
Global Ex-U.S. Large Cap – Value 56 $157.17B $306M $4,636M $10,612M $20,960M $25,830M
Global Ex-U.S. Small | Mid Cap 23 $70.97B $189M -$39M -$1,159M $3,298M $8,498M
Global Ex-U.S. Large Cap – Growth 28 $51.30B $115M $382M $1,717M $10,083M $8,039M
Emerging Small | Mid Cap 7 $3.26B -$9M -$69M -$76M -$193M -$201M

Top & Bottom 5 ETFs by 5-Day Flow

Flows at the fund level were concentrated in broad, core international holdings. The iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA) led all funds, gathering $799 million in net inflows for the week. On the other side of the ledger, the Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta International Equity ETF (GSIE) experienced the largest redemption, shedding $241 million. The iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF (IXUS) also saw notable outflows of $118 million.

Ticker Fund Name 5-Day Flow
Inflows
IEFA iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF $799M
VXUS Vanguard Total International Stock ETF $598M
SCHF Schwab International Equity ETF $345M
IEMG iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF $294M
AVEM Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF $161M
Outflows
GSIE Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta International Equity ETF -$241M
IXUS iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF -$118M
SCZ iShares MSCI EAFE Small-Cap ETF -$103M
VEU Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Index Fund -$72M
IQDF Northern Trust International Quality Dividend ETF -$50M

Issuer League Table Update

The issuer landscape remains dominated by two major players, with iShares and Vanguard commanding 38.14% and 33.14% of the channel’s market share, respectively. This week, iShares also led in asset gathering, attracting over $1.01 billion in net new money across its fund lineup. In contrast, Goldman Sachs registered the largest net outflows among issuers, with investors pulling $236 million from its products.

Top 5 Issuers by AUM

Brand Fund Count AUM AUM Market Share
iShares 42 $746.45B 38.14%
Vanguard 11 $648.59B 33.14%
Schwab 7 $129.83B 6.63%
Dimensional 15 $110.57B 5.65%
Avantis 12 $73.65B 3.76%

Top & Bottom 3 Issuers by 5-Day Flow

Brand 5-Day Flow
Inflows
iShares $1,010M
Vanguard $961M
Dimensional $539M
Outflows
Goldman Sachs -$236M
Northern Trust -$55M
Xtrackers -$52M

For a deeper dive into these trends, access our FREE, in-depth Global Ex-U.S. Size & Style ETF reports in the right side panel of this page.

Disclosures

This material is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. All investments, including ETFs, involve risk, including the possible loss of principal. Investors should consider their investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses carefully before investing.

This analysis was developed by the team at ETF Action. We leverage advanced AI tools to assist in the drafting and refinement of our content, based on our expert prompts, direction, and final review.