U.S. bond funds see biggest weekly outflows in four weeks

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: U.S. one dollar banknotes are seen in this illustration taken February 8, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

(Reuters) - U.S. bond funds witnessed massive outflows in the week to June 8 after a weekly inflow, as a better-than-estimated payrolls report made the case for a faster pace of interest rate hikes.

According to Refinitiv Lipper data, investors withdrew $7.61 billion out of U.S. bond funds after the purchases of $7.09 billion in the previous week, which was the only weekly inflow since Jan 5.

Graphic: Fund flows: US equities bonds and money market funds - https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/mkt/lbpgndkxjvq/Fund%20flows%20US%20equities%20bonds%20and%20money%20market%20funds.jpg

U.S. benchmark 10-year yield surged by over 10 basis points during the reported week amid solid U.S. job additions. It hit more than a 3-1/2 year high of 2.862% on Friday, ahead of a report on consumer prices.

Investors expect the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates by 50 basis points next week as inflation data, due later in the day, is expected to show steep rise of 0.7% in May.

U.S. investors offloaded taxable bond funds worth $5.21 billion and municipal funds worth $2.4 billion, which were the biggest weekly outflow in three weeks.

U.S. short/intermediate investment-grade funds, and short/intermediate government and treasury funds witnessed outflows of $3.63 billion and $2.77 billion, respectively, but investors purchased high-yield funds worth $1.17 billion.

Graphic: Fund flows: US bond funds - https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/mkt/dwpkrnxmyvm/Fund%20flows%20US%20bond%20funds.jpg

Meanwhile, money market funds gained a net $24.79 billion in purchases, after outflows of $9.3 billion a week ago, underscoring risk-off sentiments.

U.S. equity funds witnessed net selling worth $1.82 billion after two successive weeks of inflows.

U.S. growth and value funds saw outflows totalling $728 million and $869 million, respectively.

Graphic: Fund flows US growth and value funds - https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/mkt/egvbkwrgqpq/Fund%20flows%20US%20growth%20and%20value%20funds.jpg

In equities, investors disposed of tech and consumer staples funds worth $827 million and $558 million, respectively, while acquiring financials and utilities worth $394 million and $332 million, respectively.

Graphic: Fund flows: US equity sector funds - https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/mkt/lgpdwedbxvo/Fund%20flows%20US%20equity%20sector%20funds.jpg