For a while "low volatility" was among the latest and greatest, newest and smoothest buzz word.

Enter the buzz-kill.

Barron's reports that low volatility ETFs have seen a recent downturn in performance, as well as a turnaround in flows.

For example, the pub notes the change in fortune for Invesco's PowerShares S&P 500 Low Volatility Portfolio, which "has seen $227 million in outflows over the last week and more than $391 million over a month, according to XTF. It’s quite a turnabout: The ETF’s net flows for 2013 are still a positive $1.3 billion."

Another Invesco product under the microscope is the PowerShares S&P 500 High Beta Portfolio.

Other funds examined include State Street's Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund and the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund.

Read more in Barron's.  

Edited by: Tommy Fernandez


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