Central banks hasten push into new asset classes
Reserve managers in Asia and elsewhere aim to relax their investment guidelines amid the pandemic fallout, with an eye on assets such as EM stocks and private equity, say experts.
Asset Owners
Asset owners see benefits from Covid working changes
Measures to ensure continuity of investment management have been largely successful, but the situation requires constant monitoring to maintain efficiency, say asset owners.
ABL Life sets sights on Australian real estate
The Korean insurer plans to “reshuffle” its property allocations in terms of geography and has particular preferences over its external manager partners.
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How AI can help instos spot green-washing
Artificial intelligence tools can help investors assess company emissions and identify those overstating their sustainable credentials, argues Ping An Insurance.
AsianInvestor survey: Defining asset owners' 2021 investing priorities
Insurers, pension funds and other regional investors are taking a pragmatic approach to investing, striving to add more risk, diversify and award mandates virtually.
Indonesia’s SWF plans spark governance questions
Experts say the country's debut sovereign wealth fund needs full investing independence to attract international assets, but this appears unlikely according to current plans.
Insto roundup: China lags on ESG investing, says NSSF; GIC most active state investor in 2020
UniSuper CIO looks to cut exposure to insurers; NSSF vice-chair says China's ESG investment lags in many areas; $2.4tr investor group challenges HSBC to cut fossil fuel assets; Korea's NPS commits $450m to North American infrastructure fund managers; Singapore's GIC that most active state investor in 2020 and more.
New hedging under QFII could help investors raise returns
Experts expect China's first margin financing and securities borrowing deals under the expanded QFII scheme to support more short positions and support foreign capital inflow.
Market Views: How should instos approach investment insourcing?
The growing appetite among asset owners to bring portfolio management in-house is understandable, but the talent pool is already tight in Asia – and getting tighter.
The case for – and against – a SWF for Japan
The country has a huge current account surplus and foreign reserves, which would help it to establish its own sovereign wealth fund, if it wishes. What's standing in the way?
Asia’s asset owners show mixed progress on gender parity
Institutions in Australia and Japan are making good progress on achieving targets for gender parity, but there is still work to do in the region, including in Hong Kong.
CDPQ looks to form more investment partnerships
For the Canadian pension fund, Covid-19 has underlined the value of tie-ups with local and global institutions, and of its long-standing focus on renewable energy.
Data Centre: How investors take unnecessary risks
Institutional investors have at times increased their exposure to market risks in unnecessary manners, eroding their potential levels of investment return for no reward.
China widens annuities asset options, adds HK access
The country is letting its annuities retirement funds invest more capital into onshore equities and, for the first time, Hong Kong assets.
How asset owners can better foster ethnic diversity
Financial firms in Asia Pacific need to do more to raise the number of roles held by minorities, say institutional executives and experts.
CDPQ ramps up direct investment in Southeast Asia
The big Canadian pension fund sees promise in the increasingly favoured region, while its even larger peer CPPIB has just agreed a new logistics tie-up in Indonesia.
Outlook 2021: Green infra’s appeal with Omers and others
The Canadian pension fund and other investment experts believe that infrastructure investments with sustainability themes will see far greater asset inflows this year.
Insto roundup: KIC adds new alts heads; NPS hands Russell Investments a $1b mandate
Australia's MLC Life gets capital from Nippon Life and NAB; Ping An to buy properties from Agile Group; KIC names heads of alts and private equity; NPS appoints Russell Investments for $1b real estate mandate; CDPQ co-invests in $2.7b Taiwan offshore wind farm deal; GIC makes first Vietnam healthcare investment and more.
Global investors hungry for A-shares despite tensions
China's healthy economy and expanding equities market is drawing more eyes from across the world. Australian superannuation funds, in particular, are looking to invest more.
Taiwan’s BLF under fire over bribery scandal
The state pension fund is strengthening internal controls, but experts say more action is needed, such as raising pay for investment staff to make them less susceptible to graft.
