Market views: Dividend cuts to come in Asia
Companies worldwide are suspending shareholder payouts amid the Covid-19 outbreak. How worried should institutional investors be about the situation in Asia?
AIIB seeks insto injections for healthcare funding
The multilateral development bank is considering investing in infrastructure funds to help attract institutional capital for public health and communications-related facilities.
GPF seeks overseas pension partners for alts
Thailand's leading state pension fund is seeking to boost returns through more diverse investing and partners, as it prepares for an upsurge in retirees.
Asian families seek to help SMEs amid virus crisis
As Asian family groups assess the damage done to their business ecosystems, there is a change occurring around what they invest in and how they do so.
Asian families seek to help SMEs amid virus crisis
As Asian family groups assess the damage done to their business ecosystems, there is a change occurring around what they invest in and how they do so.
New Chinese rules open up insurance fund products
A new set of rules from the CBIRC will enlarge the investor base for insurance asset management products. This could ramp up investor demand.
Why takaful companies’ liquidity could prove a boon
The Islamic insurers’ need to preserve liquidity could leave them well placed to buy equities, once Malaysia finally emerges from the coronavirus pandemic.
Exit of Asia division heads sparks changes at BlackRock
The recent departures include those of three segment chiefs for Asia-Pacific: the chairman for alternatives and heads of index strategy and of client relationships for factor strategies.
GPF seeks to expand its in-house investing expertise
Thailand's leading pension fund has been increasing the size of its internal investment team and will add more personnel, said Man Juttijudata, assistant secretary of risk management.
Insto roundup: GPIF braces for huge loss; Korea pensions on bargain hunt
Australia's Hostplus cuts alternative asset investment valuations; InsudInd Bank seeks injections from sovereign wealth funds; Japan's GPIF could record historic loss; Korean pension funds go asset bargain hunting; Taiwan's Bureau of Labor Funds appoints eight managers for absolute return mandate and more.
Covid-19 set to hit Japan DC pensions especially hard
The country's defined contribution plans could weather market storms better if they had a wider choice of alternative assets and a stronger focus on rebalancing, say industry experts.
Partner Content
How to make more from machines
Insights from a new survey by AsianInvestor and Refinitiv suggest new technologies will revolutionise how portfolio management operates in Asia Pacific in the coming years.
How coronavirus could change our working lives and the climate
Simple-to-use tools that can reduce business travel have long been available. The coronavirus is forcing us now to use them, and the climate could benefit.
Exclusive asset owner survey: mapping the future for HKD bonds
A survey of around 100 institutional investors across Asia in late 2019 - conducted by AsianInvestor and HSBC Global Asset Management - has revealed the appetite, trends, challenges, opportunities and a potential roadmap for Hong Kong dollar (HKD) bonds in portfolios.
The 2020 US presidential election – what’s in store for Asian bonds?
A Democrat win may negatively hurt US growth, but whether Trump or his blue counterpart win the election, expectations of lower global rates will spark a renewed search for more attractive yields elsewhere. Asia presents opportunities for a yield pickup.
Sponsored Profiles
Assessing Asia-Pacific’s New Corporate Fund Structures, Pt. 2
New corporate fund structures in Hong Kong, Australia and Singapore aim to make these domiciles more attractive to asset managers and investors. In part two of this mini-series, we examine whether asset managers should include them in their fund manufacturing and distribution strategies.
Why ESG data is key to reducing exposure to climate change
A quarter of all professionally managed assets incorporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles, including climate change, in their considerations. As demand for data grows, indices reducing carbon emissions risk are now more attractive.
Semi-liquid strategies broaden investor inclusion
Institutional investors are showing heightened interest in private assets, notably private equity, infrastructure equity, real estate equity and private corporate debt, new research reveals. David Seex, Schroders’ head of alternatives, Asia Pacific explains why.
Assessing Asia-Pacific’s New Corporate Fund Structures, Pt. 1
In competition with schemes such as UCITS, the development of corporate fund structures in Asia Pacific is providing more options for asset managers to domicile funds. We break down what the new structures mean.
In-depth
Insto roundup: HK’s MPFA warns on investing returns; NPS and Khazanah see big 2019 gains
Thousands ask UniSuper to divest from carbon-heavy companies; Hong Kong's pension returns to suffer due to coronavirus; Indonesia's government calls for audit of state insurers over investments; Japan Post Bank investing staff depart over investing shift; Korea's NPS and Malaysia's Khazanah report big investment returns and more.
Puzzling out the potential of factor investing
While the concept of factor investing has had some reassessment over the past year or two, industry participants argue that there are still rewards to be had from employing it.
GPIF’s Mizuno: Why performance fees make sense
The CIO of the Government Pension Investment Fund explained to AsianInvestor his thinking behind its performance fee structure and whether he will stay on as CIO.
Sentiment Indicator: asset owners set for a defensive 2020
The latest survey of insurers, pension funds, endowments and other institutions shows mixed allocation plans for 2020, amid expectations of more macro and market uncertainties.
Events
Dec 11, 2019
The 7th Insurance Investment Forum - Hong Kong
Long-term returns in a negative-yield environment
Dec 11, 2019
The 2nd Insurance Investment Forum - Singapore
Long-term returns in a negative-yield environment
Galleries
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Institutional Investment Forum Thailand 2019
Asset owners and domestic asset managers met in Bangkok on October 10 to discuss the future of overseas investment among Thai institutions.
China Institutional Investment Forum 2019
Chinese asset owners and domestic managers gathered on September 18 in Beijing to discuss overseas investments in turbulent times.
Jul 3, 2019
Japan Institutional Investment Forum 2019
Institutional investors meet in Tokyo to discuss investing in a new era
Asian Investment Summit 2019
Asset owners from around the region convened in Hong Kong in May to discuss future investment strategies.
Magazine
Webinar
Feb 19, 2020
New technologies for a new investment era
Portfolio management is certainly not immune from the far-reaching influence of technology on all aspects of our lives. In line with the ever-faster availability, speed and access of data and digital solutions, investors across APAC must consider the potential applications, drivers, barriers and future of AI, machine learning and Neuro-Linguistic Programming on asset allocation and investing.
In this webinar, AsianInvestor, in partnership with Refinitiv, will reveal insights from a new, exclusive survey of over 175 senior investment professionals in APAC on the role of new technologies within today's investment landscape.
We will address key topics such as:
- The drivers for using new technologies to invest
- The future for new technologies in portfolio management
- How new technologies will (re)define asset allocation and investing in general across the industry
- The barriers to greater engagement of AI and other new technologies - and how to overcome them
- What we as an industry need to do to get ready for these changes
Dec 16, 2019
SIX THEMES, FIVE YEARS, ONE OUTLOOK: How Asian investors can get the most out of their portfolios over the next five years
The uncertainty of the world's economy and geopolitics leaves Asian institutional investors with many uncertainties, as they ponder how best to strategically and tactically prepare their portfolios.
Northern Trust has identified six megatrends or themes that it believes will be among the most dominant over the coming five years, and which investors should take stock of as they consider their investment plans.
From concerns over high valuations to a persistent lack of inflation and a longstanding level of tension between the US and China, the world is set to become a more complicated place to navigate over the coming years.
Apr 8, 2019
SOLVING THE DATA DILEMMA: Why are data management projects in Asia Pacific failing to deliver value?
Organizations in Asia Pacific are starting to spend more on cleaning up their data to maximize its value. Doing so is now critical as portfolios in the region are becoming more complex and diversified, which raises the risk of unintended exposures.
The data that organisations generate can offer unique intelligence to help them make better investment decisions. But it is only useful if it can be properly identified and managed within appropriate infrastructure. There are also costs associated with data management, so decisions need to be made over its storage and control.
Event Highlights
China Pacific CIO urges slower ESG adoption
There's a potential social and economic price to be paid for ESG, delegates heard at an AsianInvestor event, which otherwise underlined growing interest in environment, social and governance principles.
How AIA, Axa seek to manage risk
Derivatives can help insurers manage credit and currency risks but more awareness and expertise is needed, delegates heard at our Insurance Investment Forum in Singapore.
AIA, Axa CIOs flag outsourcing challenges
Asia Capital Re and IndiaFirst Life Insurance also join in to discuss their biggest challenges, despite the growing demand for external specialist expertise.
HSBC Life, Axa CIOs outline top priorities
BNP Paribas Cardif and Prudential were also among the insurers who shed light on their investment focus as well as hiring plans at AsianInvestor’s Insurance Investment Forum.
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ASIANINVESTOR BULLETINS
Most Read
Exit of Asia division heads sparks changes at BlackRock
The recent departures include those of three segment chiefs for Asia-Pacific: the chairman for alternatives and heads of index strategy and of client relationships for factor strategies.
Value Partners cuts more staff amid market turmoil
The Hong Kong fund house has laid off senior executives, including its Southeast Asia head and managing director for alternative products, as it moves to rationalise its business further.
Japan’s GPIF hands CIO role to Goldman Sachs veteran
Continuity in asset allocation and investment strategy is widely expected at the world’s largest pension fund as it replaces Hiromichi Mizuno with an experienced banker.
Weekly roundup of people news, Mar 27
Barings's ex-head of sovereigns joins ETF firm; HSBC Securities Services gets new client head; AQR pares Asia sales team; KKR appoints Asia-Pacific tech investment head; CGS-CIMB hires chief investment strategist; EFG poaches IAM team from UBS; First State names head of investment product research; HSBC GAM has management reshuffle and more.
Barings shrinks equity teams, cuts sovereign client focus
In a move that refocuses its product offering and institutional coverage, the US-based asset manager has pared its equity investment capabilities in Asia and the UK.
Weekly roundup of people news, April 3
Schroders names new chiefs for Asia Pacific, Japan; BlackRock loses Asia equities head, reshuffles team; Robeco quant equities specialist returns to Europe; two HK fund house execs banned; T. Rowe Price names Greater China client director, and more.
Allfunds setting up Hong Kong office, hires duo
The institutional fund distribution platform is pressing ahead with its second Asian branch, despite uncertainty following months of protests and, more recently, the coronavirus.
GPIF’s new leader faces investing shake-up, CIO search
The incoming president of the world’s largest pension fund will need to oversee a freer hand in foreign asset allocation and appoint a new CIO, with Hiromichi Mizuno leaving.
How coronavirus could change our working lives and the climate
Simple-to-use tools that can reduce business travel have long been available. The coronavirus is forcing us now to use them, and the climate could benefit.
Baillie Gifford sets up trading desk in Hong Kong
As its institutional asset base in Asia grows, the Scottish fund house has located a dealing duo in the region after launching an onshore China business late last year.
