On a global basis, exchange-traded funds and products have garnered almost US$200 billion in new assets through the first nine months of 2014, according tones data from research firm ETFGI LLP.

The firm reports that ETFs and ETPs globally have gathered a record US$199 billion in net new assets through the end of the third quarter. The previous record for the period, set in 2012, was US$185.8 billion. ETFGI hasn’t released data for the Canadian market yet, but says that year to date net new asset flows reached record levels in Japan and Europe, too.

For the month of September, ETFs/ETPs saw net inflows of US$13.2 billion, ETFGI reports. It says that equity vehicles gathered all of the net inflows, with US$14.8 billion, while fixed income had net outflows of US$449 million, and commodities experienced net outflows of US$1.5 billion.

“In September investors invested the majority of net new money into North American equity exposures. Due to the on-going situation in the Ukraine, Scotland’s referendum vote, and the Bank of England governor’s statement that a rate increase was “getting closer”, investors reduced their exposure to Europe,” said Deborah Fuhr, managing partner at ETFGI. “The unfavourable geopolitical environment caused the S&P 500 to decline 1% in September. Developed markets declined 4% while emerging markets declined 7%.”

By provider, SPDR ETFs gathered the largest net inflows in September, US$10.5 billion worth, followed by Vanguard at US$7.0 billion. iShares remains the dominant ETF/ETP provider with US$980.3 billion in assets, which represents a 37.3% market share; SPDR ETFs ranks second with a 16.4% share; followed by Vanguard at 15.5%.