Korea Investment Trust Company expects Korean investors to increase their appetite for risk assets and is expanding its capabilities to offer them exposure to hedge funds.

By Jame DiBiasio | 11 March 2010

Alternatives

East Capital Russian Fund was top dog in the noughties

Michael Hanson-Lawson's fund was up 1,524% during the decade, but, tantalisingly, it could have been up over 2,000%.

By Simon Osborne | 11 March 2010

Business Moves

BNP Paribas granted custody licence in India

The French bank follows up similar deals in Hong Kong and Singapore last year and is planning others elsewhere in the region.

By Cate Rocchi | 11 March 2010

People Moves

AMP Capital hires Asia infrastructure head

Boe Pahari will move from Foreshore Global Capital in London to AMP Capital Investors' office in Singapore for the new role.

By Joseph Marsh | 11 March 2010

Views

Take China's QDII ETFs with a pinch of salt

Despite the fanfare from QDII ETF issuers and the Shanghai Stock Exchange, these products are unlikely to achieve the lofty aims set for them.

By Liz Mak | 10 March 2010

People Moves

Asia headcount grows fivefold at BSI

The Swiss private bank has been hiring feverishly in the region, but may find it harder to attract talent down the road.

By Joseph Marsh | 10 March 2010

Alternatives

CQS hires marketer in Hong Kong

The London-based multi-strategy hedge fund has appointed Nyree Hu to its relationship-management team, after losing its Hong Kong risk manager.

By Simon Osborne | 10 March 2010

Alternatives

Pacific Alliance Real Estate boosts Shanghai team

The property arm of alternative-asset manager Pacific Alliance has poached Wei Song from Equity International.

By Joseph Marsh | 10 March 2010

Alternatives

Hedge funds marginally up in February

The year-to-date performance for hedge funds globally is still in the red -– but only by 18 basis points. However, Asian funds are down further.

By Simon Osborne | 9 March 2010

Distribution

Nikko AM may market green bond fund in Asia ex-Japan

After success in Japan with a product that invests largely in World Bank-issued green bonds, Nikko Asset Management has launched a Ucits III version and might offer it ...

By Joseph Marsh | 9 March 2010

Markets

The changing face of ratings

Yu-Tsung Chang, head of Asia-Pacific ratings at Standard and Poor’s, talks about the role of rating agencies in Asia’s credit markets.

By Mei Tuicolo | 9 March 2010

Business Moves

Huaan plans second QDII, readies FTSE 100 ETF

Another fund house queues up to launch a QDII exchange-traded fund and, like FTSE, is intent on repairing its reputation in China.

By Liz Mak | 9 March 2010

Asset Owners

Canada Pension Plan hires private-equity team in Hong Kong

The Canadian institution is rapidly building an investment team in Hong Kong to capture growth in Asian markets, starting with China-focused private equity.

By Liz Mak | 8 March 2010

Conference Highlights

MAS stresses importance of transparency and investor trust

Ng Nam-Sin of the Monetary Authority of Singapore spells out what authorities expect of asset managers doing business with Singaporean clients.

By Joseph Marsh | 8 March 2010

Alternatives

"It's called 'hedging'," responds Orchard's Edds

One of the hedge fund managers who spun out from Stark Investments to co-found Orchard Capital Partners tells us what’s cooking.

By Simon Osborne | 8 March 2010

Distribution

Inflation fears drive investors to equity and bond funds

Among emerging markets, the picture is mixed, with China funds suffering continuous outflows but India and Bric products enjoying inflows.

By Jame DiBiasio | 8 March 2010

Alternatives

Neuberger Berman outlines private equity’s ‘return to normalcy’

Investor appetite and market structures in 2010 resemble those of a normal private-equity environment, says the asset manager.

By Jame DiBiasio | 5 March 2010

Business Moves

Money market funds morph into bond-like discretionary accounts

BNY Mellon reacts to zero interest rates by offering segregated accounts for cash to institutional clients.

By Jame DiBiasio | 5 March 2010

Alternatives

Sovereign debt may trigger CTA opportunity, says PMJ

2009 proved to be the first down year for the system developed by Peter Matthews of PJM Capital, but the asset class could do well this year.

By Simon Osborne | 5 March 2010

Alternatives

Aprea bemoans lack of progress on Reits in India

The Asia Pacific Real Estate Association is opening a branch in Mumbai in order to press the case for allowing Reits.

By Joseph Marsh | 5 March 2010

Markets

FTSE makes peace with Shanghai bourse on A50

The index provider is finally settling with the Shanghai Stock Exchange over an infringement lawsuit dating back to 2006.

By Liz Mak | 4 March 2010

Asset Owners

Korea Teachers looks to expand global equity exposure

The $9 billion Korea Teachers Pension Fund is also interested in allocating more to alternatives, says CIO Lee Yun-kyu.

By Insup Lee | 4 March 2010

Distribution

Asia trumps Europe for new Deutsche ETFs

Deutsche Bank’s latest Singapore-listed ETFs are being created around Asian demand in a Ucits fund structure, with European marketing to come second.

By Reyes Zheng | 4 March 2010

Markets

Could have been worse, say lawyers of Hong Kong shorting rules

A new rule announced by Hong Kong's regulators could be the first in a process of alignment with other jurisdictions.

By Simon Osborne | 4 March 2010

People Moves

Brown Brothers Harriman boosts Asia sec-lending team

The custodian has transferred BBH veterans Robert Lees and Richard Meek to Hong Kong to strengthen its securities-lending presence.

By Joseph Marsh | 3 March 2010

Alternatives

Aquitaine launches private-equity fund targeting hedgies

The Hong Kong-based alternative investment boutique celebrates its 10th anniversary with a new strategy taking stakes in Asian asset managers.

By Jame DiBiasio | 3 March 2010

Business Moves

ICICI Pru positions for global investment flows to India

Its international business unit has gotten the domestic fund manager onto the lists of global investment consultants and it is targeting overseas institutions.

By Jame DiBiasio | 3 March 2010

People Moves

Tan named deputy CEO at CMS Trust

CIO Philip Tan is now deputy chief executive at the Malaysian asset manager, after Ian Tham's exit to run Kuwait Finance House's Asia-Pacific fund-management arm.

By Joseph Marsh | 3 March 2010

Distribution

Pru-AIA deal holds peril and promise for fund managers

Fund-house execs are divided over whether the proposed $35 billion acquisition of AIA by Prudential is a potential boon or bane. And what about Hong Kong's MPF business?

By Jame DiBiasio | 2 March 2010

People Moves

MEAG hires Franki Chung as Asia CIO

Franki Chung leaves Baring Asset Management to replace John Koh at the asset-management arm of Munich Re in Hong Kong.

By Joseph Marsh | 2 March 2010

People Moves

Hubert Tse exits Yuan Tai, joins Boss & Young

China's original QDII advocate is on the move. Hubert Tse is now with Boss & Young, a top-ranking law firm based in Shanghai.

By Liz Mak | 2 March 2010

People Moves

Werner Schlossmacher takes on a bigger role at Credit Suisse

Credit Suisse appoints new private banking head of investment solutions for Southeast Asia and Australasia.

By Lara Wozniak | 2 March 2010

People Moves

Update: RBS Coutts moves co-CIO to Hong Kong

As it rebuilds its team in Asia, the UK firm becomes the latest private bank to relocate a top-level executive, Nick Cringle, to the region. It has also hired Manfred Liechti ...

By Joseph Marsh | 1 March 2010

Distribution

Ucits fund marketers increase Asia focus

While the institutional investment business in Asia is growing in importance, the region's Ucits-compliant funds market is attracting ever more attention, according to Cerulli ...

By Joseph Marsh | 1 March 2010

Alternatives

A Prussian/Yankee prime-broking duopoly for the ‘teenies’?

Actually, it'll probably be more like a quadropoly, concedes Deutsche Bank's Harvey Twomey modestly, after his firm topped AsianInvestor's latest mini-poll.

By Simon Osborne | 1 March 2010

People Moves

Standard Chartered appoints Singapore head of investor sales

Former hedge fund manager Paul Absalom returns to the sell-side in a newly created role.

By Lara Wozniak | 1 March 2010

Outlooks

Private banks thinking more in real terms, says Axa IM

Demand will continue to outpace supply in the inflation-linked market, from both traditional and new investor types, says Philippe Descheemaeker of Axa Investment Managers.

By Joseph Marsh | 1 March 2010

Asset Owners

Hong Kong institutions keep their cool

Crisis, what crisis? It’s business as usual for Hong Kong’s institutional investors.

By Liz Mak | 27 February 2010

Distribution

Asia records $1 trillion of net fund inflows since 2005

Strategic Insight research shows that Asian net flows to mutual funds over the past five years have been nearly as big as in the US, and more stable than in Europe.

By Jame DiBiasio | 26 February 2010

People Moves

Manulife Asset Management Malaysia loses CEO, hires CIO

Following the departure of chief executive Yeow Kok Kien, the Canadian firm has created a chief investment officer post in Malaysia and hired Jason Chong from UOB-OSK Asset ...

By Joseph Marsh | 26 February 2010

Alternatives

New start-up Saka Capital outsources corporate governance

Having launched in October, the Singapore-based credit hedge fund posted returns of 3.12% in January.

By Joseph Marsh | 26 February 2010

Views

A tale of two years for hedgies

In the first of a two-part Q&A, Karen Tan of Deutsche Bank Private Wealth Management looks at hedge-fund performance since the start of 2008. In the next piece, she will make ...

By Joseph Marsh | 26 February 2010

Comment

Fear the boom and bust

A treat for Friday: A Hayek versus Keynes rap anthem, courtesy of YouTube.

By The Editors | 26 February 2010

Asset Owners

Korea’s Government Employees Pension Service hires CIO

Kwon Jae-woan joins from Citi to replace Chung Kyung-soo, who left GEPS to join family office Atinum Partners.

By Insup Lee | 25 February 2010

Alternatives

CAI Global Fund delivers the wealth

Eddie Tam of Central Asset Investments is still into trains as his hedge fund chuffs through its high water mark.