Global exchange-traded fund (ETF) and exchange-traded product (ETPs) assets reached a new record high in October, according to new data from research firm ETFGI LLP.

The firm says that global ETF/ETP assets finished the month at US$2.3 trillion, which is a new record level. Asset growth came from US$32.6 billion of net inflows, along with positive market performance.

“The expectation that the Federal Reserve will maintain it’s [quantitative easing] scheme at its current size into 2014 and positive market performance encouraged investors to put net inflows of US$32.6 billion back into the market through ETFs/ETPs,” said Deborah Fuhr, managing partner at ETFGI.

Indeed, the equity sector accounted for all of the net inflows, the firm notes, at US$34.6 billion. At the same commodity ETFs/ETPs experienced net outflows of US$2.8 billion, and fixed income products had net outflows of US$227 million.

In the year-to-date, global assets have increased by 19%, the firm reports, based on positive market performance and net inflows of US$202.2 billion. The level of net inflows is in line with 2012, it adds.

Again, equities have enjoyed most of the net inflows so far this year, with US$193.9 billion worth, up from US$112.7 billion at this point in 2012. Conversely, fixed income ETFs/ETPs have had net inflows of US$21.4 billion this year, which is less than half of the YTD total recorded in 2012. And, commodity products have seen outflows of US$33.0 billion so far this year, down from US$20.1 billion of net inflows in 2012.

Within the equity asset class, North American equities have captured the largest share of net inflows, with US$117.7 billion; followed by developed Asia Pacific equity markets at US$32.8 billion, and developed European equity markets with US$20.7 billion, ETFGI notes. However, emerging market equity ETFs/ETPs have experienced net outflows of US$6.3 billion, it adds.

Finally, the firm reports that Vanguard tops the sales charts, with net inflows of US$51.6 billion so far this year; just edging out iShares, which has US$51.3 billion of net inflows. WisdomTree is a distant third, with US$12.8 billion worth.