ETF race hits $1T at record speed with more gains coming

Industry Overview - The exchange-traded fund (ETF) industry reached a record $1.25 trillion in assets by November, marking the fastest growth in history [1] - Full-year ETF inflows are projected to reach $1.4 trillion, revised up from an earlier estimate of $1.3 trillion, driven by strong bond performance [5] Asset Performance - Across various asset classes, including stocks, bonds, and commodities, there has been a positive return environment, with assets outperforming cash [2] - Gold prices have surged over 70% this year, while silver has increased by more than 140%, both reaching record highs [15] Bond and Gold ETFs - Bond ETFs attracted $42 billion in inflows last month and are on track to achieve a record $400 billion in inflows for the year [7] - The SPDR Gold Trust ETF, the largest gold-backed ETF, has seen record inflows and has gained over 68% [8] Market Dynamics - The popularity of fixed income ETFs continues to grow, with their use cases expanding beyond basic strategies to include more active management [6] - Factors contributing to the bullish outlook for gold include persistent inflation, global instability, and continued central bank purchases [10][18]