LONDON (Reuters) -Investors put money into cash at the fastest pace at the start of a quarter since the 2020 COVID crisis in the week to Wednesday, as heightened volatility and questions over the U.S. rate outlook triggered a safe-haven dash, BofA Global Research said on Friday.
Cash funds saw inflows of $62.1 billion in the latest week, reflecting investor demand for dollars, which in turn saw the 19th straight week of outflows from gold funds - the longest string of outflows since 2014, BofA said in its weekly "Flow Show" report, citing data from EPFR.
Equity funds posted $6.3 billion in inflows, with emerging markets funds recording their second straight weekly inflow, with $4.3 billion, and European equity funds posting their 38th weekly outflow, down $900 million, BofA added.
Stocks got a boost last week from a belief among investors that the Federal Reserve could shift the pace of rate hikes down a gear, as the economy shows signs of slowing.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell has since poured cold water over such speculation, given stubbornly high inflation and a resilient labour market.
"Easy to pivot when unemployment is 8% and inflation is 3%. Much harder to pivot when inflation is 8% & unemployment is 3%," BofA investment strategist Michael Hartnett wrote.
The S&P 500 gained almost 4% last week, buoyed by optimism over quarterly earnings and the prospect of slower rate hikes from the Fed.
And yet the bank's "Bull & Bear indicator" stayed at 0 for a seventh week, marking its longest period of "max bearish" since the 2008-2009 financial crisis.