Emerging markets attracted close to US$6 billion of fresh capital in equity funds during the first week of February, taking their total inflows so far in 2012 to US$17 billion.

During the week ended February 8, emerging markets equity funds drew their largest inflows in 68 weeks, pouring in US$5.8 billion, as per data compiled by global fund-tracking agency EPFR.

This marks the sixth straight week of inflows for emerging market equity funds. The total net inflow to emerging market equity funds so far in 2012 has reached US$17 billion, as compared to a net outflow of US$11.4 billion for the same period of 2011.

The rising tide in favour of emerging markets also lifted the flows into dedicated BRIC equity funds, which recorded their biggest weekly inflow since the end of 2009. Most of such funds invest in India as FIIs (Foreign Institutional Investors) and the capital flows through this route are a key factor in the stock market trends here.