Nevermind the tech hit, thematic ETFs are on the rise

NEW YORK: One of the most adored sectors of the US$5.7 trillion (RM23.3 trillion) exchange-traded fund industry was also one of the hardest hit as technology stocks plunged last week.

Funds focused on specific market niches raked in piles of cash in the first two months of the year, a trend that’s poised to rapidly accelerate, according to a new survey. A whopping 80% of global ETF investors plan on increasing their exposure to so-called thematic ETFs this year, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co found in their annual report released yesterday.