Dubai crisis slows inflow into emerging mkt

Fund flows into emerging equity and riskier bond markets slowed for the week ended December 2 amid Dubai's multi-billion debt woes, a fund tracking consultancy said.

High-yield bond funds posted outflows for the second time since June while flows into emerging market equity funds were around a third of their weekly average year-to-date, EPFR Global said in a statement.

"Investors remain anxious to deploy money before the books close on 2009," EPFR Global Senior Analyst Cameron Brandt said.

For the week ended December 2, bond funds took in a total of $2.98 billion, while their equity counterparts, driven by large inflows into some Europe Equity Exchange Traded Funds, absorbed a net $3.1 billion, EPFR added.

The Money Market Funds, witnessed an eight straight week of outflow and surrendered a modest $838 million.

Investors pulled their money out of Middle East Regional Equity Funds as well as from the Middle East and Africa Regional Equity Funds.

Asia ex-Japan equity funds, recorded outflows of $306 million for the week despite stronger macroeconomic data from their two BRICs markets, China and India, EPFR said.

The debt crisis that erupted in Dubai last month with conglomerate Dubai World asking for a six-month extension to repay its $59 billion debts, sent markets across the world into a downward spiral.