We find that the aggregate asset allocation decisions of US mutual fund investors depend on economic
conditions. Both anticipated economic downturns and periods of turmoil lead investors to direct flow
away from risky equity funds and towards lower-risk money market funds. These patterns are markedly
stronger for investors in low cost and low turnover funds relative to investors in high cost and high turnover
funds, consistent with sophisticated investors being more sensitive to changing conditions. Benchmarked
against a buy-and-hold strategy, these asset allocation strategies reduce risk without degrading
the risk-return trade-off. Our evidence suggests that individual investors, often dismissed as noise traders,
collectively react to economic signals in a sensible manner when determining asset allocations.