ETF Daily Fund Inflow Report November 17, 2025 Headline: Equity-Focused ETFs Attract Billions as Risk Appetite Holds

Market Overview
Today’s fund flows underscored sustained investor interest in equity and international exposure, with the top 10 ETFs by inflow collectively amassing over $6.5 billion. The mix of large-cap benchmarks, sector-specific plays, and global allocations suggests a risk-on bias, potentially reflecting confidence in corporate earnings resilience and macroeconomic stability. While no major central bank decisions or economic data releases occurred recently, the strong performance of technology and semiconductor-linked funds may indicate sector-specific optimism.

ETF Highlights
The Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) led inflows with $2.86 billion, reinforcing its role as a proxy for the Nasdaq-100’s tech-heavy growth stocks. Its $401.28 billion AUM and 18.08% year-to-date (YTD) gain highlight its appeal amid ongoing strength in innovation-driven equities. Similarly, the VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) drew $578.97 million, aligning with its 40.52% YTD surge—the top performer in the group—potentially signaling continued bets on AI-driven demand and supply chain recovery.

The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) added $508 million, reflecting steady demand for broad U.S. equity exposure despite its more modest 13.59% YTD return. Its massive $796.8 billion AUM underscores its role as a core holding for passive strategies. Conversely, the First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF (FV), with just $3.57 billion in assets, attracted $742.74 million—the largest relative inflow of the group. Its 1.41% YTD gain, the weakest among the top 10, may hint at a tactical rotation into its small-cap, momentum-driven focus.

International and emerging market allocations also featured prominently. The iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA) and Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) saw inflows of $645.7 million and $452.34 million, respectively, while the Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO) added $330.7 million. These flows align with their YTD gains of 24.59% and 25.57%, suggesting appetite for global diversification amid stable developed-market conditions. The SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI) and Capital Group Dividend Value ETF (CGDV) further diversified the list, with $404.81 million and $310.96 million in inflows, their 27.5% and 20.65% YTD returns appealing to investors balancing growth and income themes.

Notable Trends
The top 10 included three semiconductor- and biotech-linked ETFs, alongside broad equity and international benchmarks, pointing to a blend of sector rotation and geographic diversification. The disparity in AUM sizes—from VOO’s $796.8 billion to FV’s $3.57 billion—also highlights varying inflow scales, with smaller funds like CGDV ($24.7 billion AUM) and XBI ($7.4 billion AUM) showing strong relative performance.

Conclusion
Today’s inflows into equity-centric and globally diversified ETFs may indicate a continuation of risk-seeking behavior, supported by sector-specific outperformance and a stable macro outlook. The prominence of technology, semiconductors, and international markets could suggest investors are positioning for extended growth cycles and cross-border opportunities, though caution remains warranted given the absence of immediate macro catalysts.