Assets under management in exchange-traded funds are near their historic peak, reflecting continued inflows despite the funds' dramatic fall in line with global markets late last year. The figure stands in stark contrast to the traditional asset management industry, which is still struggling to increase its profitability after assets plummeted last year.

The global ETF industry now holds $789bn (€569bn) in assets under management, according to the latest monthly report on the sector from Barclays Global Investors. The historic peak in assets was in mid-2008. At the end of April last year, assets hit $805bn.