Asset Owners

Australian super funds get called out for investing in and voting with shareholder proposals by fossil fuel companies; US senator calls for firing of Calpers CIO over his China ties; China's finance ministry to shift 10% of its holding in China Life's parent to NSSF; Life Insurance Corp of India's equity investing slides; Korea's NPS boasts 11% annual return in 2019 and more.

The latest multifamily housing investment with California pension fund brings desired diversification to the Korean asset owner’s real estate portfolio, its CIO says.

The country's companies are trying to shift their employees from defined benefit to defined contribution pension schemes to avoid spiralling pension payment costs.

Work on the planned China-Hong Kong trading link for exchange-traded funds is continuing, albeit in the shadow of the coronavirus outbreak, global trade spats and cross-border tension.

Chinese and HK state investors may well expect private fund firms to use the new limited partnership regime, for which a proposal is imminent, says a lawyer involved in the process.

A surprise doubling of the overseas allocation limit to 30% and lifting of the ban on private equity investment are welcome changes for increasingly yield-starved Thai insurance firms.

The country's retirement funds must embrace a broader array of investments, including alternative assets, if they are to meet the needs of their fast-aging population.

The country should make private pension schemes more popular to ensure its population saves enough for retirement. Plus existing funds need to update their investing and products.

A mixture of low bond yields, interest rate cuts and insurers avoiding risky assets will lower returns, though A-share volatility will have a limited impact, say credit analysts.

A link is emerging between pension funds' exposure to alternative investments and their asset growth, according to two recently-released studies.

The country with the most rapidly aging population in Southeast Asia needs to get people saving more, and quickly, to avoid a rise in its elderly poor.

AsianInvestor is offering 10 financial and economic predictions for the Year of the Rat. In the final instalment we look at the next episode of the Brexit saga and its implications for investors.

Beijing’s attempts to soften the coronavirus outbreak's impact on local equities may provide temporary support to the market, but experts think it could spell trouble for investors.

The financial giant plans to complete its intelligent investment platform for ESG this year and hopes the technology can be widely adopted by the industry when it becomes robust.

South Korea tops rapid global pension growth; Australia's Future Fund buys more high-yielding private debt and says it's harder to find good managers; GPIF of Japan suspected of funding yen selling; Malaysia's Securities Commission works to improve shareholder engagement; Mike Pompeo warns US pensions on China investments and more.

The Canadian pension plan’s investment into Indian distressed assets is being driven by gradually improving fundamentals, said its global head of credit investments.

For the Year of the Rat, AsianInvestor offers some financial and economic predictions. In this instalment, we ask whether Hong Kong will retain its prestige as a world-class financial centre.

A period of looming inertia as the sovereign wealth fund seeks a new leader could raise pressure on the government to draw down on some of its assets.

Asian wealth investors appear largely unfazed by the noise surrounding the official departure of the UK from the European Union and are looking to buy properties in the country.

For the Year of the Rat, AsianInvestor offers predictions on some key questions. Today: Will AI gain traction as an investment tool among Asia's asset owners in 2020?