U.S. equity funds draw first weekly inflow in three weeks ahead of Fed easing

Dec 12 (Reuters) - U.S. investors bought equity funds for the first time in three weeks in the week through December 10 in anticipation of a policy rate cut by the Federal Reserve on Wednesday.

They purchased a net $3.3 billion worth of U.S. equity funds during the week, closely reversing a net $3.52 billion outflow the prior week, LSEG Lipper data showed.

Investors, however, remained concerned over a slower pace of profitability for artificial intelligence companies as earnings guidance from Oracle missed market expectations on Wednesday.

U.S. equity sectoral funds received a net $2.81 billion, the largest weekly inflow since a $4.03 billion net purchase in the week to October 22.

Metals and mining, industrials and healthcare funds saw weekly inflows to the tune of $672 million, $548 million and $527 million, respectively.

U.S. bond funds witnessed $3.49 billion weekly net purchase, significantly higher than the previous week's $291 million net inflows.

Investors pumped $2.61 billion into short-to-intermediate investment-grade funds, the largest amount in seven weeks. They, however, shed general domestic taxable fixed income funds of $902 million.

Money market funds, meanwhile, had a net $4.58 billion weekly outflow following a robust $105.03 billion weekly net purchase the prior week.

(Reporting by Gaurav Dogra)