Just in case anyone is wondering why BlackRock is trying to snap up Barclays Global Investors, a small reminder dropped into my mailbox today with a preview of research on the exchange traded fund industry, albeit delivered by BGI.
It quotes data from mutual fund consultant Strategic Insight to the effect that net sales of mutual funds were minus $6bn in the first three months of the year compared to net sales of $7.7bn for ETFs, one good reason why the US money manager might be keen to get hold of BGI’s business.
