Strong demand for exchange-traded products in Europe led to inflows of €41bn in the 12 months to the end of July, according to iShares.

Bubbles are a wondrous affair, and, according to the aficionados, easy to spot from afar.

Emerging market ETF sales soared 200% at Lyxor Asset Management during the second quarter to the end of June.

Following on the heels of the iShares purchase, another ETF provider has been snapped up by a money manager looking for an entrance into the market.

A recent press release from Skandia UK, a fund management and wrap platform provider, claimed that while ETFs tout their low costs, a straight comparison with mutual funds of total expense ratios (TERs) can be misleading.

Commodity ETF sales soared 57% at Lyxor Asset Management last month, becoming the most popular products among the group's global range.

Conjecture debate