MCHI - China-Focused ETFs Have Become 'Political Footballs' In US As Investor Apprehension Leads To Large Scale Shutdown | Benzinga
The year 2024 has reportedly seen a record number of U.S.-listed China-focused exchange-traded funds (ETFs) closing down, marking an all-time high since the inception of these funds. This trend reflects growing investor concerns about the world’s second-largest economy.
What Happened: According to data from Morningstar Direct, 13 U.S.-listed China ETFs have ceased operations in the first quarter of 2024 alone, the Financial Times reported on Monday.
This surge in closures significantly surpasses the previous annual record of five closures in 2020 and 2023. Despite the global popularity of ETFs, which have seen 58 consecutive months of net inflows, leading to a record $12.7 trillion in assets by the end of March, ETFs focused on environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors are also witnessing record closures in the U.S. and globally.
Bryan Armour, director of passive strategies research, North America at Morningstar, links these closures to political pressures, stating that both China-focused and ESG ETFs have become “political footballs.”
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Furthermore, the rate of new ETF launches has significantly dropped. Only 33 ...