ETF Securities Weekly Flows Analysis – Failure to agree on a production freeze to weigh on oil
Gold ETPs recorded another week of large inflows with current price momentum likely to last until the next Fed meeting on April 27.
A surge in oil prices ahead of the global oil producers meeting yesterday triggered profit taking last week with prices likely to weaken again as the meeting resulted in a non-agreement.
Improving sentiment has seen increased inflows into industrial metals ETPs since March 2016.
Interest in gold to continue until Fed uncertainty is lifted. Last week saw another US$180mn flow into gold ETPs, despite the yellow metal losing some ground, bringing total year-to-date inflows into gold ETPs to US$1.8bn. Strength in demand for the metal is likely to continue until the Fed provides more clarity on what it is looking for to make its next move.
Profit-taking ahead of the oil producers meeting could be followed by inflows again. Energy ETPs recorded US$80mn outflows last week, almost exclusively from oil ETPs. Buoyant oil market activity ahead of the OPEC/non-OPEC oil producers meeting on Sunday sent both Brent and WTI above the US$40/bbl. Prices surged 11.2% and 11.4% respectively over the past week to Thursday triggering profit taking, marking the largest weekly outflows since April 2015. Despite the strong likelihood of Iran absence stopping any potential agreement, investors were still pricing in an agreement to occur. As a result, yesterday’s lack of agreement to freeze output will likely see a sell-off in oil this week. We however believe that a lower for longer oil price should support global economic growth and demand for oil which will translate into the oil market falling into deficit this year, even without a cut in oil supply. Inflows into oil ETPs may return this week as prices weaken.
Interest in commodity basket ETPs increased across the complex. Diversified and sectorial commodity basket ETPs all recorded inflows last week, totalling US$53.5mn. Diversified broad baskets lead the board with net inflows of US$35mn, followed by precious metals baskets (US$9.1mn) and then industrial metals baskets (US$7.2mn). As different commodities tend to be driven by different factors, an exposure to a basket of commodities certainly allows investors to catch the momentum while mitigating the downside risks specific to individual commodities.
Sentiment towards industrial metals improves slowly but surely. Last week saw the largest inflows into industrial metal ETPs since May 2015 of US$29mn, mostly driven by inflows into copper ETPs. The commodity sector has seen continued and increasing inflows since early March 2016 indicating that the momentum is slowly but surely building up. Supporting this trend, short industrial metals ETPs have recorded increasing outflows at the same time. We continue to believe that this year will be a turning point for metals as we expect copper, nickel and zinc to be in deficit this year while demand from China remains robust.
Key events to watch this week. A number of confidence indicators and manufacturing PMIs are likely to be in focus. The Australian and Canadian central banks will publish their meeting minutes while the European Central Bank (ECB) rate decision this Thursday is likely to be a non-event unless it publishes technical details of the expanded quantitative easing programme it intends to start in June.
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Please find below Hashdex monthly crypto market update and performance attribution for Hashdex Crypto-Index ETPs for October 2024.
With October often showing strong seasonality for crypto assets, this month’s results reflect a promising trend for Bitcoin, although gains were more limited across Altcoins. As outlined in our latest CIO note, “Beyond Trump and Harris: Five Congressional Races That May Impact Crypto’s Future”, several upcoming US congressional races could shape the regulatory landscape for crypto, with potential implications for institutional adoption and future price action. Bipartisan support for the asset class is expected to grow, depending on the results of key races.
We will share some updates during the week, if you need any inputs on US elections, feel free to reach out to us.
Hashdex Crypto Index ETPs: performances (USD) as of end of October 24
• Beta Index ETP– Nasdaq Crypto Index ETP (HASH or HDX1) (largest Crypto Index ETP in Europe): October +7.1%, YTD +45%, 12M +89%.
• Smart-Beta Index ETP – Crypto Momentum Index ETP(HAMO or HDXM): October -0.5%, YTD +1.2%, 12M +71%.
Market Update – October 24
October, commonly known as ”Uptober” for its seasonally strong performance for Bitcoin, continued this trend in 2024. The month began with a volatile period, as the Nasdaq Crypto Index (NCI) initially gave back gains from September. All NCI constituents declined in the first ten days, with the exception of Uniswap, which announced plans for its own layer-two network on Ethereum.
Mid-month, the sentiment shifted, with a sharp rally that drove Bitcoin close to its all-time high by the 29th. The NCI ultimately closed the month up 7.1%, significantly outpacing traditional markets as both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 declined slightly. This rally coincided with a sharp increase in former president Donald Trump’s odds in election betting markets, generating additional optimism around Bitcoin.
While Bitcoin posted a robust 10.6% gain, Altcoins generally underperformed. The notable positive exception among altcoins was Solana, which rose 9.0%. In contrast, Ripple declined 18.6% due to ongoing SEC litigation, and Polygon’s MATIC dropped over 20% as it migrated to a new token model (POL).
Nasdaq Crypto Index (NCI) relative to other asset class in October 24
Source: Hashdex, as of 30/10/24.
In comparison with traditional assets, the NCI’s 7.1% gain far outpaced the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100, both of which posted slight declines. This performance underscores the potential for crypto assets to provide upside during periods of broader market uncertainty. The majority of this outperformance was driven by Bitcoin’s strength, underscoring its role as a cornerstone of the crypto asset class and its growing appeal as a macroeconomic hedge.
Performance attribution:
Nasdaq Crypto Index (NCI)
The NCI recorded positive returns for most of its primary constituents, with Bitcoin (+10.6%) leading the gains. Solana (SOL) also contributed positively, rising 9.0%. However, Ripple (XRP) and Polygon’s MATIC weighed on the index, with losses of 18.6% and over 20%, respectively. Ripple’s decline was largely attributed to ongoing legal issues with the SEC, while MATIC’s transition to the POL token created additional downward pressure.
Source: Hashdex, as of 31/10/24.
Crypto Momentum Factor Index
The Crypto Momentum Factor Index showed a slight monthly decline of 0.5% in October, reflecting the underperformance of altcoins in general. Although Tron (TRX) remained relatively stable, other altcoins in the index faced headwinds, leading to a small monthly loss for the index.
Source: Hashdex, as of 31/10/24.
Correlation (3m) to traditional asset classes
Source: Hashdex, as of 31/10/24. NCI for Nasdaq Crypto Index.
Goldman Sachs Global Green Bond UCITSETF EUR (Dist) (GSGR ETF) med ISIN IE000SYQFJV2strävar efter att spåra Solactive Global Green Bond Select-index. Solactive Global Green Bond Select-index följer gröna obligationer. Alla löptider ingår. Betyg: Investment Grade.
Den börshandlade fondens TER (total cost ratio) uppgår till 0,22 % p.a. Goldman Sachs Global Green Bond UCITSETF EUR (Dist) är den enda ETF som följer Solactive Global Green Bond Select-indexet. ETFen replikerar det underliggande indexets prestanda genom fullständig replikering (köper alla indexbeståndsdelar). Ränteintäkterna (kuponger) i ETFen delas ut till investerarna (halvårsvis).
Denna ETF lanserades den 13 februari 2024 och har sin hemvist i Irland.
Mål
Goldman Sachs Global Green Bond UCITSETF är en passivt förvaltad, hållbar global obligationsfond som uteslutande investerar i gröna obligationer enligt bedömningen av Goldman Sachs Asset Managements investeringsteam för gröna obligationer.
Crypto markets faced a volatile week as key macroeconomic events approached, with the upcoming US presidential election and anticipated Fed rate decision fueling uncertainty in risk assets. Bitcoin (BTC) rose 1.7%, ether (ETH) declined 1%, Solana (SOL) fell 8.2%, and the Nasdaq Crypto IndexTM (NCITM) was down 0.5%.
Microsoft to consider bitcoin investment starting December
According to a new SEC filing, Microsoft is considering the possibility of investing in Bitcoin as a hedge strategy against inflation despite opposition from its Board of Directors. This move, by one of the world’s largest companies, would mark a significant step in institutional adoption for Bitcoin.
MicroStrategy discloses plans to buy $42B of BTC
The firm announced bold plans to raise $42 billion over the next three years to acquire more bitcoin. This new wave of capital will be split equally, with $21 billion from equity issuance and $21 billion from debt offerings, in a project called the ”21/21” plan. This move, led by founder Michael Saylor, underscores bitcoin’s potential as a valuable hedge against inflation and highlights its appeal as a strategic investment option.
UBS launches its first tokenized fund on Ethereum
UBS Asset Management has launched its first tokenized fund, the USD Money Market Investment Fund Token (uMINT), a money market fund built on the Ethereum blockchain, available through authorized partners. The launch supports the growing demand for tokenized financial assets and leverages distributed technology to enhance fund issuance and distribution, as well as UBS’s broader strategy to expand its tokenization services.