Mutual fund assets worldwide increased 5.4% to $17.28 trillion at the end of the third quarter of 2005, according to the Investment Company Institute. Net cash flow to all funds worldwide was a robust $305 billion in the third quarter of 2005, compared with $166 billion in the second quarter. Third-quarter inflows to long-term funds were up by 52 percent compared with their second-quarter pace. Money market fund flows swung strongly into positive territory with a $59 billion inflow worldwide, mainly resulting from inflows in the United States. 

• The largest increase occurred in worldwide assets of equity funds, which reached $7.7 trillion, growing 7.8 percent over the quarter. 

• Bond fund assets increased 3.5 percent in the third quarter to $3.5 trillion worldwide. 

• Assets of balanced/mixed funds grew 5.5 percent. 

• Money market fund assets rose 2.5% to $3.2 trillion worldwide. 

• Equity fund flows worldwide increased to $87 billion, compared with $65 billion in the second quarter. Equity fund inflows were particularly strong in Europe, which reported net inflows of $48 billion, more than half of the worldwide total.

• Mutual fund assets in Europe on a Euro-denominated basis rose 6.9 percent, compared with 6.5 percent on a U.S.-dollar-denominated basis. 
• In the third quarter of 2005, money market funds garnered an inflow of $59 billion worldwide, primarily as a result of inflows in the United States, which accounted for $42 billion, or 71 percent of the total. 
• Money fund flows picked up in Europe in the third quarter, registering $19 billion, compared with $10 billion in the second quarter. On net, the Asia/Pacific and African regions reported very minor outflows in money funds in the third quarter.