In its March 2009 "ETF Landscape" publication, released earlier today, Barclays Global Investors ("BGI") stated that European ETF assets fell by 9.6%, in US dollar terms, during the first two months of 2009. The fall was less than the 20.7% decline in the MSCI Europe index over the same period. BGI, quoting Lipper FMI, estimated net sales of European-domiciled ETFs at US$10 billion during January.

By contrast, US ETF assets fell by 19.1% in US dollar terms during January and February 2009, said BGI, a greater decline than the 18.0% fall in the MSCI US index over the same period.

At end-February, European ETF assets totalled US$129 billion, and US ETF assets US$402 billion, said BGI.

The European ETF/ETP issuers with the greatest increase in assets under management during the first two months of the year were ETF Securities (+US$2.33 billion), ETFlab (+US$1.41 billion) and ZKB (+US$1.08 billion), according to BGI.

The European ETF/ETP issuers with the greatest decrease in assets under management during the first two months of the year were iShares (-US$7.76 billion), Lyxor (-US$4.52 billion) and db x-trackers (-US$1.25 billion).