ETF Securities Weekly Flows Analysis – Tensions with North Korea to support demand for gold
Gold ETPs recorded the largest weekly inflows since March as tensions with North Korea escalate.
Short Oil ETPs recorded inflows as oil prices trade around US$50/bbl on average.
Inflows into copper ETPs as manufacturing activity in China grew more than expected in August.
Investors rushed into gold ETPs as North Korea is threatening further military tests near the US seas. Last week saw US$122.5mn inflows into gold ETPs as tensions with North Korea intensify. Whilst the country has been demonstrating its military force since at least the 80’s, it has stepping up its provocations since the summer 2016 when Kim Jong-un claims that he can launch a missile capable of striking the US. Verbal provocations recently turned into military action with a North Korean missile overflying Japan on Tuesday morning. Allies have responded by another demonstration of force on Thursday as US bombers joined South Korea in a live-fire bombing exercise over South Korea. Russia and China, on the other hand, are pushing for diplomatic talks. Gold price rose by 2.6% on Tuesday, closing above US$1,318/oz., the highest level since September 2016, before ending the week at US$1,320/oz. Platinum and silver, on the other hand, recorded outflows of US$12.4mn and US$34.5mn respectively, likely on profit-taking as prices touched the highest levels since Q1 2017.
Inflows into shortoil ETPs sent mix signals despite robust domestic demand for oil in the US. Hurricane Harvey which hit the US Gulf Coast damaged a third of US oil refineries, sending the price of heating oil and gasoline to the highest level since the summer 2015. The hurricane, downgraded to tropical depression, is the first category 3 to make landfall in the US since 2005. Oil prices, on the other hand, have barely moved from their current momentum. WTI fell 1.2% over the past week while Brent remains flat. Natural gas was up 6.2% over the week as the active contract rolled from September to October on Wednesday with a curve in contango. After six weeks of outflows, oil ETPs recorded US$5.8mn inflows last week, mostly into short oil ETPs, reflecting investors’ views that oil prices will remain range-bound. However, US domestic demand for oil remains strong as inventories declined more than expected last week despite production continuing to rise.
Copper ETPs recorded inflows on growing Chinese manufacturing activities in August. China manufacturing PMI surprised the market to the upside while service and non-manufacturing PMIs grew at their lowest pace in four months as construction activity slowed down. Interestingly, the Caixin manufacturing PMI, released last Friday, also confirmed a pickup in in industrial activities at 51.6 against 51 expected and 51.1 in July. While the Chinese National Bureau of Statistics data focus on large to mid-sized companies, the Caixin manufacturing PMI tracks smaller and private businesses and therefore provides an independent reading from official numbers. The price of industrial metals rose by 3.0% on average last week and 10.8% over the past month. We continue to expect Chinese data to beat expectations and support demand for metals.
Video Presentation
Edith Southammakosane, Research Analyst at ETF Securities provides an analysis of last week’s performance, flow and trading activity in commodity exchange traded products and a look at the week ahead.
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ETF Securities Research team ETF Securities (UK) Limited T +44 (0) 207 448 4336 E info@etfsecurities.com
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Amundi S&P Global Financials ESG UCITSETF DR EUR (D) (WEL8 ETF) med ISIN IE000ENYES77, försöker följa S&P Developed Ex-Korea LargeMidCap Sustainability Enhanced Financials-index. S&P Developed Ex-Korea LargeMidCap Sustainability Enhanced Financials-index spårar stora och medelstora företag från finanssektorn. Aktierna som ingår filtreras enligt ESG-kriterier (miljö, social och bolagsstyrning).
Den börshandlade fondens TER (total cost ratio) uppgår till 0,18 % p.a. Amundi S&P Global Financials ESG UCITSETF DR EUR (D) är den billigaste ETF som följer S&P Developed Ex-Korea LargeMidCap Sustainability Enhanced Financials index. ETFen replikerar det underliggande indexets prestanda genom fullständig replikering (köper alla indexbeståndsdelar). Utdelningarna i ETFen delas ut till investerarna (Årligen).
Amundi S&P Global Financials ESG UCITSETF DR EUR (D) är en mycket liten ETF med tillgångar på 2 miljoner euro under förvaltning. ETFen lanserades den 20 september 2022 och har sin hemvist i Irland.
Investeringsmål
AMUNDI S&P GLOBAL FINANCIALS ESG UCITSETF DR – EUR (D) försöker replikera, så nära som möjligt, resultatet av S&P Developed Ex-Korea LargeMidCap Sustainability Enhanced Financials Index (Netto Total return index). Denna ETF har exponering mot stora och medelstora företag i utvecklade länder. Den innehåller uteslutningskriterier för tobak, kontroversiella vapen, civila och militära handeldvapen, termiskt kol, olja och gas (inkl. Arctic Oil & Gas), oljesand, skiffergas. Den är också utformad för att välja ut och omvikta företag för att tillsammans förbättra hållbarhet och ESG-profiler, uppfylla miljömål och minska koldioxidavtrycket.
Det betyder att det går att handla andelar i denna ETF genom de flesta svenska banker och Internetmäklare, till exempel DEGIRO, Nordnet, Aktieinvest och Avanza.
President Trump announced a highly aggressive tariff package—one with broad macroeconomic implications—and global markets reacted sharply. In this environment of heightened volatility, we urge investors to maintain perspective, just as they should when prices are volatile to the upside (e.g., last year’s post-election rally).
Notably, since the election, bitcoin and the Nasdaq Crypto Index have outperformed gold, the S&P 500, and Nasdaq 100. Even in the wake of the tariffs, only gold has outpaced bitcoin and the NCI—highlighting the relative strength of digital assets amid global market declines.
Market Highlights
Stablecoin legislation advances in US
The House Financial Services Committee voted to advance a monumental bill to regulate stablecoins, the STABLE Act, following the Senate Banking Committee approval of similar legislation earlier this year.
President Trump has said he wants stablecoin legislation approved by Congress before its August recess, reinforcing the new administration’s focus on establishing clear crypto regulation.
Tokenized fund sets dividend benchmark
BlackRock’s BUIDL paid an estimated $4.17 million in monthly dividends during March.
This highlights the potential of crypto to create attractive investment instruments, such as tokenized funds, which stood out this month paying massive dividends and setting a new benchmark for the class.
SEC chair orders review of crypto guidance
Acting SEC Chair Mark T. Uyeda ordered a review of past staff guidance on crypto, including risk warnings and interpretations of the Howey test.
This move, like others before, signals a broader shift toward a more open regulatory approach, potentially strengthening the presence of bitcoin and other digital assets in the US in the near future.
Market Metrics
The NCITM constituents had another negative week, with only XRP (-7.0%) and BTC (-3.8%) avoiding double-digit losses. The overall NCITM decline of -5.2% was cushioned by BTC’s relative resilience, as it performed better as a store-of-value asset. However, the drop still reflects a broader risk-off sentiment across all markets, driven by Trump’s tariff policies and growing macroeconomic uncertainties that are prompting investors to reassess their positions.
This week, the NCITM fell -5.3%, narrowing the gap with traditional indices such as the Nasdaq 100 (-9.8%) and S&P 500 (-9.1%) which experienced sharper losses following Trump’s tariff announcements. BTC (-3.8%) performed similarly to gold (-3.3%), though gold remains the top-performing asset class year-to-date. The week reinforced the risk-off sentiment, with investors broadly retreating from risk assets. Still, it also highlighted crypto’s growing relevance, as the most volatile asset class managed to outperform traditional markets in a stressed environment.
JP Morgan Global Emerging Markets Research Enhanced Index Equity SRI Paris Aligned Active Strategy investerar i företag från tillväxtmarknader. ETF strävar efter att generera en högre avkastning än MSCI Emerging MarketsSRI EU PAB Overlay ESG Custom-index. Aktierna som ingår filtreras enligt ESG-kriterier (miljö, social och bolagsstyrning). Dessutom beaktas EUs direktiv om klimatskydd.
Den börshandlade fondens TER (total cost ratio) uppgår till 0,30 % p.a. Utdelningarna i ETF:n ackumuleras och återinvesteras.
JPMorgan Global Emerging Markets Research Enhanced Index Equity SRI Paris Aligned Active UCITSETF USD (acc) är en mycket liten ETF med tillgångar på 2 miljoner euro under förvaltning. Denna ETF lanserades den 5 mars 2025 och har sin hemvist i Irland.
Investeringsmål
Delfondens mål är att uppnå en långsiktig avkastning som överstiger MSCI Emerging MarketsSRI EU PAB Overlay ESG Custom Index* (”riktmärket”) genom att aktivt investera i huvudsak i en portfölj av tillväxtmarknadsföretag, samtidigt som målen i Parisavtalet är i linje.
Det betyder att det går att handla andelar i denna ETF genom de flesta svenska banker och Internetmäklare, till exempel Nordnet, SAVR, DEGIRO och Avanza.