Equity Funds Take in $22 Billion in February

Spurred by a buoyant stock market, stock funds in February raked in $22.43 billion compared to $9.97 billion in January. It was the second-best February in five years, slightly down from February 2004's inflow of $26.1 billion, according to the Investment Company Institute.

Domestic stock funds, which fared better in February, took in $10.49 billion compared to $1.89 billion in January. International stock funds, however, outdid domestic funds as they have in the past several months. World equity funds had an inflow of $11.95 billion in February, up from $8.07 billion a month earlier.

Aggressive growth stock funds took in $500 million in February versus a $4.1 billion outflow a month earlier. Hybrid funds, which combine stocks and bonds, had an inflow of $4.3 billion in February vs. $5.29 billion in January.

Fidelity Investments, with $959 billion in assets, had $2 billion stock in fund inflows in February. The company also reported $800 million inflow to bond funds and $3.8 billion outflow for its money market accounts.

Vanguard Group, with $820 billion in assets, reported stock fund inflow of $3.5 billion for February and $4 billion for March with one day left. Bond funds attracted $1.5 billion in February and $530 million in March. Money funds had inflow of $1.1 billion in February increasing to $2 billion in March.