Allianz targets Chinese real assets despite Evergrande
Despite Evergrande's woes, Allianz is still bullish on Chinese property and infrastructure, although it has slowed down its investment process.
Asset owners admit much work ahead for net zero transition plans
Case studies featuring global institutional investors’ best practices for setting climate action plans aim to encourage more to follow in their footsteps.
Weekly investor roundup: Cathay Financial expects rate hikes to boost returns; NPS' enlarged stewardship role faces pushback
Cathay Financial Holdings anticipates that interest rate increases will help boost profits in the coming year; Korea's National Pension Service meets protest from the business community after move to enlarge stewardship role; MAS bans crypto advertising to the general public; Japan's GPIF appoints managers for fund of funds mandate; GIC returns for Checkout.com's Series D funding; and more
Insurance outlook 2022: three transition year themes – inflation, capital, ESG
The Covid-19 crisis has galvanised the global insurance industry in many ways and has forced insurers to reassess all aspects of their business. Asia is no different from the rest of the world in this regard, according to Max Davies, insurance strategist at Wellington Management, based in Hong Kong.
Insurance outlook 2022: three transition year themes – inflation, capital, ESG
The Covid-19 crisis has galvanised the global insurance industry in many ways and has forced insurers to reassess all aspects of their business. Asia is no different from the rest of the world in this regard, according to Max Davies, insurance strategist at Wellington Management, based in Hong Kong.
70 firms, financial institutions call for UN treaty against plastic pollution
Signatories are advocating for a robust policy on plastic pollution amid concerns that states would support a less ambitious mandate.
Global recovery set to ride out Omicron but asset managers in Hong Kong feel the pinch
The Covid-19 variant is unlikely to cause distress for investors banking on global recovery, but quarantine restrictions in Hong Kong are set to put the bite on any comeback.
Weekly roundup of people news, Jan 14
China Life names Yuan Changqing as acting chairman; Future Super hires operations chief; China Life Franklin Asset Management CIO and deputy CEO leave; Willis Towers Watson has hired Kameswara Natakusumah as head of Indonesia; Prudential hires ex-Apac CEO for Allianz George David Sartorel as a non-executive director; Manulife IM hires into multi-asset solutions team in Asia; PineBridge Investments hires from BNY Mellon IM; and more.
Have investors’ confidence picked up after SenseTime's 150% post-IPO surge?
The stock’s promising performance stands in sharp contrast to the less fortunate fates of other Chinese companies that have been affected by government clampdowns.
Alibaba Tsai's family office keeps watching brief on ESG, HK Spacs
The family office of Alibaba's co-founder likes to do its own hands-on due diligence and favours deals that can make a difference, rather than investments for the sake of ESG.
Market Views: How will the CPI 7% jump affect investments?
The Federal Reserve is now expected to hike interest rates as early as March and fed funds markets are pricing in up to four hikes in 2022.
Partner Insights
Selecting the winning themes in private equity
Even amid the turmoil of the global pandemic, private equity (PE) attracted capital inflows. Both 2020 and 2021 were strong years in performance. Why, when investors face so many challenges, has PE stayed so robust, ask Schroders’ experts.
Beyond Profit: Making natural capital matter
With sustainability so integral to allocation decisions for asset owners across Asia, what is the value of 'natural capital' to portfolios? Schroders believes that understanding - and embracing - this amid the ongoing changes to the climate, physical environment and biodiversity is key to avoiding nature-related financial risks.
Unleashing the power of numbers on climate fight
Four key environmental themes at COP26 are expounded with the support of data, demonstrating the importance of statistical insights in the battle against climate change.
How Nuveen maps out an alternative path to diversified returns
Income-oriented investors need higher yields and diversification – yet with manageable levels of risk. In the search for solutions, Simon England-Brammer of Nuveen outlines the potential for non-traditional assets in the portfolios of Asia Pacific asset owners today.
Investing in energy transition across Asian EMs
The renewable energy sector is undergoing rapid developments amid climate crisis. What are the investment opportunities and challenges that exist in the energy transition in India and Southeast Asia?
The Hong Kong dollar bond market - investing for transition and the future
As investors continue to focus on yield and quality in their bond exposure, several market trends bode well for boosting allocations to Hong Kong dollar (HKD) issuance, according to HSBC Asset Management (HSBC AM).
The top tech trends to drive returns in 2022
From machine learning and robotics to 5G and cybersecurity, investors are eyeing the next big tech-led themes to shape their portfolio allocations. To shed light on the trends to watch, speakers from Nasdaq, China Asset Management and Cathay Securities identify new opportunities – and how to access them.
Asia outlook 2022: Investing in a climate of change
Over the next 12 months, investors in Asia will likely contend with a fast-moving investment landscape shaped by China’s increasing focus on sustainability alongside the tenor of macroeconomic policies and the path of inflation. PineBridge Investments’ specialists offer their views on what investors can expect in 2022 and the opportunities arising from this confluence of changes.
Capitalising on private credit investments in Asia
Big shifts such as consolidations among asset managers will likely happen in the burgeoning private debt markets in Asia. How should global asset owners tap into the private credit boom?
Sustainable investing’s new frontier
Finding companies that can navigate the current social, regulatory and technological changes will be key to generating long-term returns and help lead the transition to a more sustainable world.
In-depth
Alibaba Tsai's family office keeps watching brief on ESG, HK Spacs
The family office of Alibaba's co-founder likes to do its own hands-on due diligence and favours deals that can make a difference, rather than investments for the sake of ESG.
Exclusive: State Street to mandate TCFD alignment and 30% gender diversity
Companies in major indices across developed markets will be expected to issue climate-related disclosures and have a third of their boards comprise women by 2023.
ESG outlook 2022: investors seek better disclosure for thematic investing
Asia continues to lag other regions for integrating ESG principles with investing; better data and stronger regulatory requirements will help institutional investors, market observers say.
Real estate and private equity stand-out performers for SWFs in 2022: report
A Global SWF report reveals how SOIs are tailoring their portfolios around Covid-19 to find alpha in venture capital and real estate.
Magazine
Webinar
Oct 25, 2021
Taking a thematic route to long-term returns
Planning portfolios and asset allocation in the current environment is increasingly challenging. But with sweeping transformations to societies and economies globally, investors’ focus has shifted from traditional sectors to themes likely to shape tomorrow’s world.
As investors try to identify winning strategies for 2022, and beyond, passive instruments that offer exposure to emerging technologies are seeing strong inflows. From AI, machine learning and robotics, to 5G, intelligent automation and cybersecurity, thematic investing is a compelling way to access and capitalise on these trends.
In this engaging and timely discussion, market experts from Nasdaq, ChinaAMC and Cathay Securities will share their perspectives and provide practical insights to help investors:
- Understand key market trends and thematics
- Access rapidly emerging opportunities within the new technologies landscape
- Identify thematic ETFs with the potential to outperform
- Position thematic investment strategies within portfolios
- Learn what’s next in key markets in Asia
Speakers
- Clarence Chan, head of ETFs, China Asset Management (Hong Kong) Limited
- Eddie Cheng, Senior Vice President, Head of Quantitative and Index Business Divison, Cathay Securities Investment Trust Co., Ltd.
- Ben Jones, Senior index strategist, index research & development, Nasdaq
- Moderator: Andrew Crooke, Strategy and Content Director, AsianInvestor
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Weekly roundup of people news, Jan 7
Tokio Marine appoints new CEO for Asia region; Ben Rudd made CEO of Prudential Wealth Management; HKEX hires from Prudential; Samsung SRA appoints former KIC infra head as CEO; HSBC Asset Management appoints senior vice president; Morningstar names head of manager research for Europe and Asia; PGIM adds ESG lead for Europe and Asia; Apex Group adds Singapore managing director; and more.
ESG outlook 2022: investors seek better disclosure for thematic investing
Asia continues to lag other regions for integrating ESG principles with investing; better data and stronger regulatory requirements will help institutional investors, market observers say.
Weekly roundup of people news, Jan 14
China Life names Yuan Changqing as acting chairman; Future Super hires operations chief; China Life Franklin Asset Management CIO and deputy CEO leave; Willis Towers Watson has hired Kameswara Natakusumah as head of Indonesia; Prudential hires ex-Apac CEO for Allianz George David Sartorel as a non-executive director; Manulife IM hires into multi-asset solutions team in Asia; PineBridge Investments hires from BNY Mellon IM; and more.
Exclusive: State Street to mandate TCFD alignment and 30% gender diversity
Companies in major indices across developed markets will be expected to issue climate-related disclosures and have a third of their boards comprise women by 2023.
Weekly investor roundup: China Life Insurance's chair under investigation; Korea's NPS accused of being passive with climate crisis
The chair of China Life Insurance is under investigation for "serious violations of discipline and law"; Korea's National Pension Service was found to have been passive with efforts to mitigate climate change; Singapore's NTUC Income plans to spin off insurance business to new company; Temasek leads $300 million funding round alongside Qatar's SWF for Carsome Group; and more.
Tighter regulations key for institutional adoption of digital assets
Digital asset regulation is an ever-evolving area, but there are clues that give away the direction that regulators are taking.
BLF global equities mandate adds to overseas focus
The $200 billion pension fund is balancing exposure to the surging Taiwan stock market with further steps towards ESG integration.
Omicron travel restrictions set to cast a pall over Hong Kong's economy
The city’s role as a regional financial hub is further at risk in the latest move to ban international arrivals from several G7 economies.
Responsible investors really do better, says Australian report
Super funds now acknowledge without question that ESG factors are critical to investment decisions.
Real estate and private equity stand-out performers for SWFs in 2022: report
A Global SWF report reveals how SOIs are tailoring their portfolios around Covid-19 to find alpha in venture capital and real estate.