The European Central Bank’s decision to cut its deposit rate and extend quantitative easing is likely to push euro money market fund yields further below zero, adding to the challenge funds face in maintaining assets under management, Fitch Ratings says.

Fitch Ratings says that investors are accepting negative euro money market funds’ yields as they face the lack of low-risk alternatives and amid heightened risk aversion at a time of market stress, as was the case over the summer.

Fitch estimates ITs used a total of GBP6bn of leverage as of end-March 2015, a fraction of the absolute size of US taxable CEF leverage (USD54bn; GBP35bn). US leverage ratios are typically reported gross, and can use derivatives off balance-sheet.