Sovereign Wealth
National Bank of Kazakhstan’s SWF seeks new fund managers
Central bank issues tenders for two managers to oversee portfolios worth $50-150 million each
SWFs should take lead in demanding higher investing standards
Large long-term investors such as sovereign wealth funds should be spearheading efforts to hold investors to account over short-termism, according to finance experts at the LSE
Norway’s SWF eyes shift from European equities
Fund will maintain high equity share but diversify investments away from Europe; buys $1.1 billion of Swiss real estate from Credit Suisse
Norway’s SWF adds further $560m of property to portfolio
Government Pension Fund Global continues progress towards 5% of fund invested in real estate with purchase of 50% stake in UK’s Meadowhall shopping centre
Chile director presents results of fund management outsourcing
Divisional director at the Central Bank of Chile discusses changes to the management of pension reserve fund; responsibility given to external managers for first time
BoJ unveils international investment position in 2011
Japanese central bank research paper shows a rise in country’s net assets; both external financial assets and external liabilities increase
Norway’s pension fund loses $13 billion in second quarter
Continuing problems in the euro area and fears about global economy weigh heavily on the performance of Norway’s sovereign wealth fund, which has switched investment to equities and emerging currencies
Norway’s SWF adds $340m of property to portfolio
Norwegian sovereign wealth fund buys stakes in French property worth $340 million; aims to expand real estate investments into other European markets
IMF paper studies emerging market debt restructuring
Policy paper reviews causes and consequences of emerging market sovereign debt restructurings; identifies certain elements that can make process less painful
SNB’s Jordan rules out sovereign wealth fund creation
Thomas Jordan reaffirms commitment to currency peg; blasts idea of establishing a sovereign wealth fund with the SNB’s foreign currency holdings
IMF paper assesses effect of transparency on credit ratings
Working paper studies relationship between fiscal transparency and sovereign credit ratings; finds that greater clarity improves a country’s rating
New Bank of Spain governor named
Miguel Angel Fernandez Ordoñez’s successor is chosen; will assume the top role at the central bank on June 11
A sovereign wealth case study from Ghana
Ghana decided to join the ranks of countries with a sovereign wealth fund after the country discovered oil in 2010. Efi Chalamish and Steve Opata describe how the fund operates
Norway set to shift investment strategy after poor SWF performance
Norway sovereign wealth fund to focus on emerging markets following third-worst performance in history last year
Nigeria needs more reserves and better inflation controls, says Fitch
Nigeria will need to further increase the size of its foreign exchange reserves and keep inflation in closer check if it wants to secure investment-grade status by 2020, says Fitch
Norway SWF manager surveys companies’ social and environmental risks
Norges Bank Investment Management assesses the social and environmental reporting levels of companies the sovereign wealth fund has invested in or is considering investing in
Denmark releases annual report and appoints new directors
National Bank of Denmark annual report covers decision to relocate Royal Danish Mint and reveals profit fell last year; Jørgen Strandgaard and Kjeld Johannesen chosen as new directors
Canada cracks down on Syrian central bank
Canada imposes asset freeze on Central Bank of Syria; foreign affairs minister reiterates demand that president Assad step down
Irish governor discusses credit conditions
Patrick Honohan, governor of the Central Bank of Ireland, says credit conditions for SMEs are "tougher in Ireland than anywhere elsewhere in the euro area"
EFSF gets go-ahead for collateral enhancement facility
Plan to restore worth to Greek bonds as collateral is authorised; two days after the European Central Bank was forced to stop accepting Greek bonds following downgrade
Governor of Bangladesh Bank discusses working population ratio
Atiur Rahman says Bangladesh must prepare for when the large working population becomes elderly
Buba’s Weidmann defends German role in eurozone rescues
President of the Deutsche Bundesbank says criticising German authorities for their action, or lack of it, in helping struggling eurozone counterparts is “quite inappropriate”
The end of a monetary phenomenon
A gold-backed currency is the only viable alternative to failing fiat money, argues Kevin Dowd.