Fund Investors Moved Overseas in 2005

Mutual fund investors focused on overseas stock markets last year, pouring more than twice as much money into international and global equity funds as those that buy U.S. companies, according to Financial Research Corp.

Mutual funds and exchange-traded funds that buy foreign stocks raked in $158. 6 billion in 2005, while domestic equity funds attracted $76.6 billion, the Boston-based company said on January 26.

Bond funds proved less popular with investors, recording overall inflows of $21.8 billion for the year. Corporate bond funds netted $21 billion, and municipal bond funds took in $3.5 billion, but funds that invest in government bonds suffered outflows of $2.7 billion.