The two insurers say they are heavily scrutinising their external partners as they eye investing opportunities in high yield, alternative assets and ESG, in a webinar hosted by AsianInvestor.
With spreads on Asian junk bonds having widened sharply, are they a good bet, despite widespread concern over expected corporate defaults in the coming months?
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.
Asia Capital Re and IndiaFirst Life Insurance also join in to discuss their biggest challenges, despite the growing demand for external specialist expertise.
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.
HSBC Global AM appoints new Asia fixed income chiefs; PAG names Japan PE co-heads; EquitiesFirst names Beijing office head; Noah Holdings CIO resigns; Pictet replaces Singapore chief; HKEX names interim CEO; Tahnoon Pasha departs Spencer Stuart and Asia; Newton IM poaches Aviva Investors' CEO.
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.
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.
Capital Group names new Japan president; Robeco replaces Singapore chief; Hillhouse Capital hires ex-Blackstone MD; Vontobel expands EM debt team; HSBC Global AM names Apac ETF sales head; Manulife creates new digital business role; Stanchart names CIO for wealth management; TMF appoints fund services exec in Shanghai; and more.
In a recent webinar, AsianInvestor spoke to top experts on emerging market (EM) corporate debt to get a better sense of the opportunities, risks and rewards that investors should be familiar with. To continue the conversation, we followed up with panelists to further explore some key issues.
While sustainable investment themes and practices are making steady in-roads across the region, the pace would increase with greater asset choice and standardised data, finds the latest AsianInvestor / S&P Dow Jones Indices ESG poll.
The past year has seen something of a growth spurt for green bonds, with the market heading toward the $1 trillion milestone, according to data from the Climate Bonds Initiative and Bloomberg. It has also seen the emergence of social bonds, used for social investments with aims such as expanding access to healthcare and education. As well as significant government bond launches, there has been increased issuance from the corporate sector and from a wider range of businesses and industries.
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.