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TQQQ Sucks In $368M in One Day: Bulls Are Back
Daily ETF Flow Report: Where Money Moved Today
Quick Summary: Today’s data shows $6.7 billion flowed into ETFs overall. U.S. stocks were the big winner (+$5.5B), while international stocks saw the biggest withdrawals (-$1.3B). Semiconductor ETFs told a split story—some got huge cash, others lost big.
What Is This Report? (ELI5 Explanation)
Imagine a giant piggy bank where millions of people put their money. That piggy bank is split into different jars—each jar is an ETF (Exchange-Traded Fund).
- Creations = People adding money to a jar
- Redemptions = People taking money out of a jar
- Net Flows = The score: Money In minus Money Out
- AUM (Assets Under Management) = Total money in the jar right now
- AUM % Change = How much the jar grew or shrank just from today’s flows
Important: This data is from 6 a.m. Eastern time and comes from etf.com. Numbers can get updated later by exchanges.
Top 10 ETFs Getting New Money (Creations)
These jars got the most new cash today. Think of them as the "popular kids" right now.
| Rank | Ticker | Name | Net Flows | Total Size (AUM) | Size Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SPY | SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust | +$1,662M | $785,043M | +0.21% |
| 2 | VOO | Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | +$1,467M | $983,727M | +0.15% |
| 3 | QQQ | Invesco QQQ Trust (Nasdaq 100) | +$1,197M | $453,479M | +0.26% |
| 4 | FTXH | First Trust Nasdaq Pharmaceuticals ETF | +$697M | $792M | +87.96% |
| 5 | SOXX | iShares Semiconductor ETF | +$606M | $43,558M | +1.39% |
| 6 | SPYM | SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF | +$422M | $159,958M | +0.26% |
| 7 | TQQQ | ProShares UltraPro QQQ (3x Leveraged) | +$368M | $32,095M | +1.15% |
| 8 | IWM | iShares Russell 2000 ETF (Small Caps) | +$364M | $79,035M | +0.46% |
| 9 | VTEB | Vanguard Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | +$352M | $45,477M | +0.77% |
| 10 | MUB | iShares National Muni Bond ETF | +$348M | $45,090M | +0.77% |
What This Tells Us (In Plain English)
- S&P 500 is king: The top 3 + #6 are all S&P 500 trackers. That’s ~$3.7B just into U.S. large caps!
- Pharma surprise: FTXH nearly doubled in size today (+88%). It started small (~$792M), so $697M is massive for it.
- Semiconductors still hot: SOXX pulled $606M—chips remain a favorite theme.
- Leveraged bets: TQQQ (3x Nasdaq) got $368M—traders betting big on tech going up.
- Small caps & bonds: IWM (small companies) and two muni bond ETFs (VTEB, MUB) also attracted cash.
Callout: FTXH’s 87.96% jump is eye-popping but comes from a tiny base. A $10M fund getting $10M doubles; a $100B fund getting $10M barely moves. Always check both dollars and percentages!
Top 10 ETFs Losing Money (Redemptions)
These jars saw the most money walk out the door.
| Rank | Ticker | Name | Net Flows | Total Size (AUM) | Size Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMH | VanEck Semiconductor ETF | -$1,852M | $65,110M | -2.84% |
| 2 | FV | First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF | -$750M | $3,609M | -20.79% |
| 3 | XLV | Health Care Select Sector SPDR | -$610M | $41,933M | -1.45% |
| 4 | FTXL | First Trust Nasdaq Semiconductor ETF | -$608M | $1,515M | -40.15% |
| 5 | IQMM | ProShares GENIUS Money Market ETF | -$475M | $17,391M | -2.73% |
| 6 | LQD | iShares Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF | -$382M | $33,689M | -1.14% |
| 7 | IEI | iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF | -$337M | $17,709M | -1.90% |
| 8 | XLF | Financial Select Sector SPDR | -$313M | $55,656M | -0.56% |
| 9 | XLP | Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR | -$269M | $14,295M | -1.88% |
| 10 | IBIT | iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF | -$212M | $47,197M | -0.45% |
What This Tells Us (In Plain English)
- Semiconductor split: SMH (-$1.85B) and FTXL (-$608M, -40%!) lost money while SOXX (+$606M) gained. Same sector, different funds—maybe investors rotating?
- Healthcare & Financials out: XLV (healthcare) and XLF (banks) saw withdrawals—defensive sectors falling out of favor?
- Bonds bleeding: LQD (corporate bonds) and IEI (Treasuries) both lost money—rising rates hurt bond prices.
- Bitcoin ETF dip: IBIT lost $212M—crypto sentiment cooling slightly?
- Small fund, huge exit: FTXL lost 40% of its value in one day! That’s a massive redemption wave for a niche fund.
Callout: FTXL (-40.15%) and FV (-20.79%) show how smaller, niche ETFs can swing wildly. A few big investors leaving = huge percentage drops. Don’t panic-read percentages alone!
Money Flow by Asset Class (The Big Picture)
Instead of individual funds, let’s zoom out to categories.
| Asset Class | Net Flows | Total AUM | % of AUM |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Equity | +$5,527M | $9,480,768M | +0.06% |
| US Fixed Income | +$1,649M | $2,149,472M | +0.08% |
| International Fixed Income | +$899M | $444,578M | +0.20% |
| Leveraged | +$356M | $167,709M | +0.21% |
| Commodities | +$63M | $313,475M | +0.02% |
| Asset Allocation | +$58M | $42,418M | +0.14% |
| Alternatives | +$41M | $144,925M | +0.03% |
| Inverse | -$227M | $13,746M | -1.65% |
| Currency | -$325M | $97,535M | -0.33% |
| International Equity | -$1,347M | $2,795,826M | -0.05% |
| TOTAL | +$6,694M | $15,650,454M | +0.04% |
The Story in 3 Bullets
- America First: US Equity (+$5.5B) and US Bonds (+$1.6B) dominated inflows. Investors still love home.
- World Exits: International Equity (-$1.3B) was the only major equity category with outflows. Global diversification? Not today.
- Traders Active: Leveraged (+$356M) and Inverse (-$227M) funds both moved—short-term traders placing directional bets.
Key Takeaways (What Should You Remember?)
- Net Positive Day: +$6.7B entered the ETF universe. Overall sentiment: risk-on.
- S&P 500 Magnet: SPY, VOO, QQQ, SPYM = ~$4.7B combined. The "buy the index" trade lives.
- Semiconductor Civil War: SOXX vs SMH/FTXL . Same chips, different flows. Check which fund you own!
- Muni Bonds Popular: VTEB & MUB both ~$350M inflows. Tax-free income still attractive.
- Small Funds = Wild Rides: FTXH (+88%), FTXL (-40%), FV (-21%). Percentages lie without context.
- Bitcoin ETF Pausing: IBIT -$212M. First notable outflow streak? Watch this space.
Summary
Today’s ETF flows paint a picture of U.S. strength, international skepticism, and sector rotation. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 vacuumed up billions. Semiconductors saw a tug-of-war between funds. Bonds split: municipals in, corporates/Treasuries out. Tiny niche funds posted jaw-dropping percentage moves—reminding us that dollars matter more than percentages. Total industry assets hit $15.65 trillion, up 0.04% on the day.
Data as of 6 a.m. ET. Source: etf.com. Figures subject to revision.
FAQ (Your Questions Answered)
1. What’s the difference between "Creations" and "Net Flows"?
Creations are just the gross money coming in. Net Flows = Creations minus Redemptions. It’s the net score. This report shows Net Flows for each fund.
2. Why did FTXH jump 88% but only get $697M?
FTXH started tiny (~$792M total). Adding $697M to an $800M fund nearly doubles it. A giant like SPY ($785B) would need $690B to double! Always check the starting size.
3. Should I sell SMH because it lost $1.85B?
Not necessarily. $1.85B out of $65B is ~2.8%. Could be one big institution rebalancing. Look at trends over weeks, not one day. And check why—was it the fund or the sector? (SOXX gained same day!)
4. What are "Leveraged" and "Inverse" ETFs?
- Leveraged (e.g., TQQQ): Uses derivatives to give 2x or 3x the daily return of an index. High risk, for trading, not long-term investing.
- Inverse: Goes up when the index goes down (bets against the market). Also for short-term trades.
5. Why do International Equities show outflows while US Equities show inflows?
Could be: currency fears (strong dollar hurts foreign returns), growth differential (US economy stronger), or home bias (investors prefer what they know). One day ≠ trend, but it’s a signal.
Data provided by etf.com via Yahoo Finance. Article formatted for educational purposes. Not investment advice.
