Equity and balanced funds were the key drivers for mutual fund industry AUM growth in 1Q15, pushing the number to a historical high of RMB5.15tr(USD828bn). These two fund types also accounted for 79% of new fundraising, totaling a record-breaking RMB237bn (USD38bn) across 129 new products. Figures such as these were last seen in 2007 when markets also fuelled investor appetites for equity; a large amount of new money in the industry in Q1 was mobilized from bank deposits. Thematic products, for example funds offering exposure to the TMT or healthcare industries, emerged as a popular trend in Q1. Another innovative trend this quarter was Big Data Funds, with FMCs such as GFpartnering with internet giants like Baidu to launch index funds. Innovations such as these will be increasingly essential to capture fickle investor demand going forward.

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