•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Global equity funds attracted net inflows for the seventh consecutive week as of 06/05/2026, supported by solid first-quarter earnings and expectations of a peace agreement between the United States and Iran, according to ABS.
Investors bought a net $4.35 billion of global equity funds during the week, though the inflow was the lowest since 18/03/2026.
LSEG data covering 1,060 MSCI World constituents showed aggregate first-quarter earnings up 22% year-over-year, well above analysts’ average forecast of about 6.3%.
In regional flows, Asian equity funds led with net purchases of $3.35 billion, while European funds attracted net inflows of $1.56 billion. U.S. funds, by contrast, saw net outflows of $2.26 billion.
Sector funds reflected a split in demand: investors bought $2.83 billion of technology funds but sold $2.05 billion of health-care funds.
Global bond funds posted net inflows of $17.04 billion, the largest weekly gain since 18/02/2026.
U.S.-dollar-denominated short- to medium-term bond funds stood out, attracting net inflows of $4.58 billion, the largest since 02/02. Euro-denominated and short-term bond funds attracted $1.6 billion and $1.5 billion, respectively.
Demand for money market funds remained strongest since 07/01, with net inflows of $148.18 billion. However, investors sold a net $1.08 billion in gold and other precious metals funds for the second consecutive week of outflows.
In emerging markets, investors pulled net $63 million from bond funds, ending a four-week streak of inflows. Equity funds posted net inflows of $1.46 billion, based on data from 28,871 funds.
On indices, Asian stock indices continued to lead gains for the week. The emerging markets stock index remained among the top performers with around 88 index points, indicating EM markets outperformed most other investment channels and continued to attract flows into EM stocks.
In Vietnam, the VN-Index rose from 80 to 84 points after hitting a new record high during the week, signaling continued gains.
Oil prices remained on an upward trend, up 95 points, even though oil had corrected by more than 8% over the week. The short- and medium-term momentum for oil stayed positive, reflecting that tensions between the United States and Iran had not significantly cooled.
The U.S. dollar index and the VIX fear gauge rose at a modest pace, suggesting investors were not overly worried about geopolitical tensions. Flows were differentiated, with the Dow Jones up about 60 points and the Nasdaq up 84 points, pointing to technology-led strength.
While the market-cap-weighted S&P 500 rose about 8% year-to-date to a fresh high, the equally weighted version lagged (up about 6% YTD) and appeared to face resistance. Market breadth showed that roughly 43% of stocks were trading below the 200-day moving average.
Bank of America data showed that 65% of retail investors hold stocks, a level returning to the 2021 high, implying the U.S. stock market is increasingly dependent on retail investors and that volatility may be higher than in periods dominated by institutions.
Passive funds also continued to expand: their share of assets rose from 20% in 2009 to above 59% by March 2026, indicating investors are increasingly favoring market-tracking investments as the effectiveness of active funds wanes.
For Vietnam, the VN-Index is influenced by large-cap stocks, particularly the Vingroup group. From the start of the year, the VN-Index rose more than 7%; excluding VIC, VHM, and VRE, the index would be up only 0.64%, reflecting pronounced dispersion among stocks.
As Vietnam’s market is upgraded to a secondary emerging market in September 2026, passive funds tracking the FTSE Emerging Markets index are expected to become a stable and automatic source of capital through index rebalancing cycles.
In this environment of money chasing the strongest stocks, ABS ranks the strongest sectors and stocks relative to the market. The scoring is based on growth-target financial indicators, while price-strength scores are measured by price volatility and trading volume.
The strongest stocks in the group are also ranked by a top-stock score.
Premium gym chains are entering a “golden era” that is ending or already in decline, as rising operating costs collide with shifting consumer preferences toward more flexible, community-based ways to exercise. Long-term memberships are shrinking, margins are pressured by higher rents and facility expenses, and competition from smaller, more personalized…
