Indexing Rise
Over the past decade, U.S. equity index mutual funds and ETFs have taken in about $1.6 trillion, while their active counterparts lost approximately $1.4 trillion, according to data from the Investment Company Institute and Bloomberg Intelligence.
The flood of money out of active and into passive funds has sent fees grinding lower, led to thousands of job cuts and forced large-scale consolidation.
Among other changes, Banco de Sabadell SA agreed in January to sell its asset-management business to Amundi SA for 430 million euros ($466 million), while GAM Holding AG considered a sale of the company last year. On Monday, Jupiter Fund Management Plc agreed to acquire rival U.K. asset manager Merian Global Investors.
“Investors are broadly moving from active to passive, weighing on flows and margins for these managers,” said Alison Williams, an analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence. “Technology and compliance needs are increasing spending for all managers, with smaller ones finding it tougher to spend what is needed to compete.”
--With assistance from Suzy Waite and John Gittelsohn.
This article was provided by Bloomberg News.