Investor Economics Insight November 2021

Fund Sales in 2021: Like a Shot in the Arm

As the disruptive events of 2020 were becoming memories, 2021 began with hope and optimism. The economy got a shot in the arm—literally, with vaccines becoming widely available—and also figuratively, with governments opening their purse strings to keep many households afloat. Setting the stage for the tide of investment fund sales to continue in 2021, deposit inflows for 2020 reached $214.7 billion, nearly triple the previous record. Against a backdrop of roaring global equity markets, household savings quickly changed direction from favouring cash allocations toward market-sensitive assets.

The November issue of Insight examines the effects of the pandemic on investment fund sales over this past year across asset classes, sponsor categories and product structures. The Trendlines article explores the landscape of Canadian cryptocurrency ETFs, in light of the launch of the first ETF in this space in the U.S.