Trends In Mutual Fund Investing

Highlights: Long-term funds - stock, bond, and hybrid funds - had a net inflow of $31.26 billion in April, vs. an outflow of $449 million in March.

Stock funds posted an inflow of $12.20 billion in April, compared with an outflow of $9.43 billion in March. Among stock funds, world equity funds (US funds that invest primarily overseas) posted an inflow of $5.99 billion in April, vs. an outflow of $1.15 billion in March. Funds that invest primarily in the US had an inflow of $6.22 billion in April, vs. an outflow of $8.27 billion in March.

Hybrid funds posted an inflow of $2.31 billion in April, compared with an inflow of $193.0 million in March.

Bond funds had an inflow of $16.75 billion in April, compared with an inflow of $8.78 billion in March. Taxable bond funds had an inflow of $13.30 billion in April, vs. an inflow of $6.23 billion in March. Municipal bond funds had an inflow of $3.45 billion in April, compared with an inflow of $2.55 billion in March.

Money market funds had an outflow of $47.83 billion in April, compared with an inflow of $56.66 billion in March. Funds offered primarily to institutions had an outflow of $14.24 billion. Funds offered primarily to individuals had an outflow of $33.59 billion.