Capital flight from Hong Kong “set to spike”
Wealthy individuals are increasingly shifting assets out of the city and considering moving themselves elsewhere too, amid rising sanctions and lost confidence, say financial advisers.
AIA looks to address rising hedging challenges
The insurer's head of investment solutions explains why upcoming changes to rules for using derivatives led to it implement a new collateral reporting solution.
20 Top Insto Executives: Raphael Arndt of Future Fund and Hiromichi Mizuno of GPIF
AsianInvestor profiles our pick of asset owner executives across the region from the past two decades. Here we feature Raphael Arndt of Future Fund and Hiromichi Mizuno of GPIF.
Aussie super funds turn to emerging Asia infrastructure
Pension funds such as Hesta and CSC want to add infrastructure assets but Australia is fast becoming less fertile ground for such investments, especially those with an ESG element.
Aussie super funds turn to emerging Asia infrastructure
Pension funds such as Hesta and CSC want to add infrastructure assets but Australia is fast becoming less fertile ground for such investments, especially those with an ESG element.
Asian institutional investors sceptical about AI’s benefits
Even some sophisticated asset owners are wary of rushing into using artificial intelligence-based investment tools and see them as unproven for boosting returns.
20 Top Insto Executives: Ben Deng of CPIC and Suyi Kim of CPPIB
AsianInvestor profiles 20 of the asset owner executives who have had an outsize impact over the past 20 years. Today's duo is Benjamin Deng of China Pacific Insurance and CPPIB's Suyi Kim.
Cathay Life readies portfolio for looming solvency rules
Taiwan's biggest insurer braces for challenges as it increases its exposure to foreign bonds and dividend-yielding stocks ahead of the upcoming new capital regime.
China bucks trend of tanking Asian property volumes
The value of real estate deals in China nearly doubled year-on-year in the second quarter, in stark contrast to big falls in property investment in Hong Kong, Korea and Singapore.
Insto roundup: GPIF eyes real asset push; Korean insurers dumping buildings
Japan's GPIF rebounds with record quarterly return, seeks real asset fund-of-fund managers; Korean insurers rush to sell property; Calpers' ex-CIO Ben Meng held stakes in Blackstone and Carlyle that may be conflicts of interest; Life Insurance Corp of India struggling amid Covid-19; Taiwan's BLF suffers biggest quarterly loss; and more.
Covid accelerating fintech disruption among fund houses
The need for professionals to adapt to a virtual contact environment has become prevalent across the investment industry. Firms that adapt fastest may benefit the most.
Partner Insights
Asian healthcare: poised for growth
This is the third of six articles in Eastspring’s Asian Expert Series, which explores the future of Asia post Covid-19. The pandemic has exposed gaps in preparedness and health capacity globally that will trigger increased spending on healthcare infrastructure and research capabilities. Equally, it has revealed interesting investment possibilities as technology spawns new age healthtech entities.
Asian Bond Watch: Continuing to ride the emerging market debt bounce-back
While we were still in a period of shock and awe during the March/April period, the latter parts of Q2 were better described as a period of healing and adjustment. Significant rate cuts from the developed market (DM) and emerging market (EM) central banks illustrate the global scale of the economic challenges created by Covid-19.
Driving growth in asset management
A global survey of 300 investment managers reinforces the value of ‘whole office’ solutions for achieving greater efficiency and resiliency in investment operations.
Asian tech: 5 key trends for the future
This is the second of six articles in Eastspring’s Asian Expert Series, which explores the future of Asia post Covid-19. While the outbreak accelerated many of the technological shifts that were already underway prior to the pandemic, we identify five key trends that will reshape the global landscape and the role Asia will play.
Total Portfolio Approach: gain agility and improved decision-making in an uncertain world
COVID-19 has reinforced the urgency for asset owners to rethink how they effectively build portfolios and manage risks. The agility needed to react to sudden market changes while achieving optimal risk-adjusted returns is paramount today – and will be increasingly relevant amid the uncertainty of a post-pandemic world.
Positioning for change in Asia’s supply chains
This is the first of six articles in Eastspring’s Asian Expert Series, which explores the future of Asia post Covid-19. The pandemic has accelerated a rethink of how companies should configure their global supply chains - while cost and quality have historically been key considerations, resilience will become increasingly important.
Why pension funds should consider impact investing
Besides supporting pension funds in achieving their financial goals, impact investing can be an attractive way for pension funds to achieve the dual objectives of incorporating sustainability requirements into investments and providing diversification benefits, says Philipp Müller, BlueOrchard’s chief executive officer.
Living in interesting times
In today’s difficult environment, it is more important than ever for asset owners to deploy their money effectively - which means holding money managers accountable for their performance. AsianInvestor recently held a webinar in partnership with eVestment, whose analytics experts presented their latest insights based on their datasets.
How asset managers can adapt to changes in China
Nobody can ignore the rapid evolution of China over recent decades. And as one of the first countries globally to try to return to ‘normal’ following the pandemic, there are opportunities for investors to capitalise on the evolving domestic markets.
Why active management is essential in sustainable investing
Hamish Chamberlayne, head of sustainable and responsible investment (SRI) and portfolio manager, discusses the key trends guiding his investment decisions and major themes his team is watching out for.
Flexible credit: the upside of downside protection
To successfully manage downside risk, dynamic and flexible allocation allows investors to handle market shifts with greater flexibility and security. You will need to be aware of the tools available to you to preserve capital and to take risk when the chances arise.
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.
In-depth
How Korea’s NPS could invest $240 billion offshore
Experts believe the Korean pension fund could be ramping up internal staff to bring equities and fixed income inhouse, while focusing its external investing on alternatives.
Investors using data analysis to beat rivals to deals
Effective use of data can help asset owners improve returns, reduce costs and gain an edge when bidding for assets – even helping to undercut rivals, as one sovereign fund has shown.
How Cbus, Poba defend their portfolios amid Covid-19
Some asset owners in the region are reducing riskier assets, while more investors around the world are planning to increase their allocations to government bonds.
Pensions face up to 40 years of post-Covid low rates
The pandemic could cause interest rates to remain low for decades, making it tough for pension funds to improve returns. They must urgently diversify to offset this risk, say experts.
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
May 14, 2020
A new investment era: will Asian & HK Dollar bonds win the race for resilience?
An interactive discussion with market experts to explore the value, opportunity and liquidity in Asian fixed income to help asset owners tackle the reality of low rates.
As post-pandemic portfolios strive to adapt to a market environment that shows little consensus, the Asian investment grade universe seems a more rational bet than most. It accounts for almost 80% of the region’s USD credit, which offers higher yields than US or Euro equivalents with lower duration.
Investing in Hong Kong dollar debt, for example – along with other Asian USD bonds, typically issued by large, stable or government-related institutions – also enables diversification, risk management and a way to shore-up risk-adjusted return targets at a time when any sort of stability is highly sought after.
Providing insights and practical take-aways - this session will include a brief outlook on the macro environment for the rest of 2020, plus implications for fixed income portfolios, especially Asian (including HK dollar) bonds.
Key discussion points to include -
- New approaches to asset allocation and risk management within the fixed income universe - to prepare portfolios for a post-pandemic era
- The outlook for Asian fixed income - and how this fits within the broader macro context
- Ways to tackle a ‘lower for longer’ rates environment via Asian debt
- Key factors in weighing liquidity vs yield amid today’s environment
- Where next for the Hong Kong market - including challenges and opportunities for HKD bonds
May 11, 2020
Holding your managers accountable in times of volatility
In times of volatility, it’s more important than ever to understand how your managers are performing and whether there are any areas for concern – be it with respect to the funds you’ve invested in or the organisational issues around the firms you have partnered with.
In this webcast, eVestment in partnership with AsianInvestor, will share unique proprietary data around how institutional investors globally have responded to market volatility and suggest some best practices about how best to monitor managers.
The discussion offers participants a chance to learn about specific examples of how market-leading institutional investors conduct quarterly manager monitoring as a way to both prepare for manager meetings and to flag potential investment risks.
Main points of discussion include:
- Why ongoing monitoring of investment managers is important
- Key ways to accurately scrutinise your external managers’ performance
- The importance of monitoring performance and risk relative to peers, not just benchmarks
- Flags that may signal areas of concern to discuss with your manager
May 6, 2020
Revisiting Total Portfolio Approach: Position Your Organisation For Uncertain Times
There is evidence that a well-executed TPA can provide a return benefit of 50 to 100 basis points per annum over a traditional, SAA-based approach (Total Portfolio Approach – A global asset owners study into current and future asset allocation practices. Thinking Ahead Institute). However, investors must be prepared to fully commit to the organisational design, with the potential changes to operations and investment support systems that it implies, if they are to fully reap these benefits.
SimCorp, in partnership with AsianInvestor, will conduct a webinar that dives into the TPA approach. This webinar will cover:
• The shift away from traditional, Strategic Asset Allocation to TPA
• The impact of TPA on capital allocation, internal culture and governance
• Is TPA worth the time, cost and effort?
• The biggest challenges of implementing this approach
• What asset owners need to do to effectively execute TPA’
• A panel discussion
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Calpers CIO Meng quits amid China controversy
In a surprise move, the giant US pension fund has accepted the resignation of its controversial CIO.
Weekly roundup of people news, Aug 7
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board hires Asia head of relationship investments; DBS Private Bank's head of fund selection to leave; Citi Private Bank appoints head of India investment products; Raffles Family Office names Greater China head; Ninety One relocates fixed income fund manager; First State Investments names non-executive director, and more.
Weekly roundup of people news, July 31
Jin Liqun is re-elected to a second term as president of AIIB; Franklin Templeton confirms new CEO and restructures Apac management team; Cbus names new CEO; Manulife names general manager for Asia emerging markets; AllianzGI builds out multi-asset team in Asia Pacific, and IQ-EQ hires business development director.
How Korea’s NPS could invest $240 billion offshore
Experts believe the Korean pension fund could be ramping up internal staff to bring equities and fixed income inhouse, while focusing its external investing on alternatives.
Asian tech: 5 key trends for the future
This is the second of six articles in Eastspring’s Asian Expert Series, which explores the future of Asia post Covid-19. While the outbreak accelerated many of the technological shifts that were already underway prior to the pandemic, we identify five key trends that will reshape the global landscape and the role Asia will play.
Active managers come under rising scrutiny to perform
In an environment where investing in a few large cap stocks is the key to outperformance, fund managers who are truly active and still outperform will gain appeal, industry experts say.
Driving growth in asset management
A global survey of 300 investment managers reinforces the value of ‘whole office’ solutions for achieving greater efficiency and resiliency in investment operations.
Market views: How should insurers handle ultra-low rates?
With interest rates treading at record low levels, Muang Thai Life's research head and four industry specialists outline how insurers can best cope with even lower for longer rates.
Investors using data analysis to beat rivals to deals
Effective use of data can help asset owners improve returns, reduce costs and gain an edge when bidding for assets – even helping to undercut rivals, as one sovereign fund has shown.
20 Top Insto Executives: Clara Chan of HKMA, Kevin Bong of GIC
AsianInvestor identifies 20 individuals who made a real difference among asset owners over the past 20 years. We focus on Clara Chan, CIO for private markets at HKMA, and Kevin Bong, director of economics and invesment strategy at GIC.
