Gold Rises 3.2%, Attracting $1.2 Billion to GLD Amid Market Downturn
Summary of significant ETF inflows and outflows in a single trading day.
TheSPDR Gold Shares ETF (GLD)experienced its largest influx of new money on Thursday, with an astonishing $1.2 billion flowing into the fund, bringing its total assets to a considerable $93.9 billion. This substantial increase in assets occurred amidst a time when gold futures skyrocketed by 3.2% to a price of $3,177.50.
Concurrently with the growth of GLD’s assets, equity ETFs demonstrated resilience, even as stocks faced significant declines. TheDow Jones Industrial Average(tumbled over 1,000 points as news spread that China would face a 145% cumulative tariff rate.
Several prominent equity ETFs garnered substantial inflows despite this market downturn. TheSPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) accumulated approximately $7.1 billion in fresh capital, while theInvesco QQQ Trust Series I (QQQ) welcomed $4.4 billion and theVanguard S&P 500 ETF(VOO) received $1.5 billion.
However, other equity-focused funds did experience notable outflows, notably theiShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV), which accounted for the largest outflows at approximately $4.3 billion. This decrease could be attributed partly to market reactions following Wednesday’s historic rally that stalled amidst news about China’s increased tariff exposure.
ETF assets also showed significant growth due to investments in commodities. In particular, gold’s surge on Thursday played a substantial role as investors continued their flight towards safer assets. Commodity-focused funds gained $1.5 billion during the time frame studied.
The top ten most significant inflows into ETFs across all asset classes were comprised of a mix of equity-centric and commodity-related products. Below is an example of these most frequently gained or lost in one single day:
Top 10 Creations (All ETFs)
| Ticker | Name | Net Flows ($, mm) | AUM ($, mm) | AUM % Change |
| — | — | — | — | — |
| SPY | SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust | 7,122.79575,495.12 | 1.24% |
| QQQ | Invesco QQQ Trust Series I | 4,448.18297,632.14 | 1.49% |
| VOO | Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | 1,480.94588,762.71 | 0.25% |
| GLD | SPDR Gold Shares | 1,247.8293,898.64 | 1.33% |
| FV | First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF | 660.364,012.55 | 16.46% |
| VUG | Vanguard Growth ETF | 637.37145,440.75 | 0.44% |
| SPLG | SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF | 594.6958,218.89 | 1.02% |
| SGO | Vishares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | 467.0142,141.18 | 1.11% |
| IWM | iShares Russell 2000 ETF | 427.1060,514.84 | 0.71% |
| ITOT | iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF | 402.7662,557.52 | 0.64% |
Conversely, certain notable outflows were recorded as listed below:
Top 10 Redemptions (All ETFs)
| Ticker | Name | Net Flows ($, mm) | AUM ($, mm) | AUM % Change |
| — | — | — | — | — |
| IVV | iShares Core S&P 500 ETF | -4,315.40559,827.23 | -0.77% |
| AGG | iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | -342.08122,602.92 | -0.28% |
| FXI | iShares China Large-Cap ETF | -325.796,039.00 | -5.39% |
| TLT | iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | -301.6349,005.30 | -0.62% |
| KWEB | KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF | -278.516,027.26 | -4.62% |
| IND | AiShares MSCI India ETF | -253.258,514.18 | -2.97% |
| ASHR | trackes Harvest CSI 300 China A-Shares ETF | -249.521,790.10 | -13.94% |
| JGLO | JP Morgan Global Select Equity ETF Global Select Equity ETF | -221.686,111.72 | -3.63% |
| HYB | iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF | -199.2614,791.19 | -1.35% |
| IGSB | BiShares 1-5 Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF | -173.4420,976.28 | -0.83% |
ETF flows by asset class also presented noteworthy insights into industry trends. Equity-focused products showed the largest influx of new capital at $15.4 billion during this single trading session, while commodity ETFs accumulated approximately $1.5 billion in assets.
The growth observed could be directly tied to investors seeking stable investments amidst increasing global uncertainty regarding tariffs and international economic policy. The asset management industry witnessed an aggregate influx of nearly $19 billion across the day’s flows, bringing total assets under management past the $10 trillion mark.
The flow of capital into specific ETFs highlights market preferences for diversified investment strategies in response to growing uncertainty.
Overall, the significant flows recorded underscore the importance of commodities and equity-backed investments in portfolios during periods of heightened volatility and global economic apprehension.
