Sovereign wealth fund (SWF)
Into the limelight
Malan Rietveld looks at the dramatic penetration into the heart of the Western financial system by sovereign investors from emerging markets in recent months
Sovereign wealth fund round-up
The creation of a much-mooted code of conduct for sovereign wealth funds edged closer this week after the European Commission submitted its ideas to the region's finance ministers for review in mid-March.
EU should be "driving force" in SWF regulation
The EU should be at the forefront of the effort to supervise sovereign wealth fund investments, the European Commission has said.
SWFs to cover bank shortfall for private equity?
Not content with buying up sizable stakes in the big investment banks, sovereign wealth funds could now take their business as well.
Norway posts $3.4 billion loss
The Bank of Norway was NKr17.6 billion ($3.4 billion) in the red last year, accounts published on Thursday 28 February reveal.
EU to devise SWF code
The European Commission is to propose a voluntary code of conduct for sovereign wealth funds in a bid to ease fears that their investments could compromise national security interests.
SWF round-up
The march of sovereign wealth funds on Western financial institutions continued this week with the announcement the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) will buy a stake in Credit Suisse, a Swiss bank.
Singapore minister slams SWF "backlash"
Goh Chok Tong, a senior Singapore minister and chairman of the country's central bank, said that arguments against sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) are driven a by "nationalistic backlash".
Australia to screen sovereign wealth funds
Australia has issued a set of screening criteria to be used by the country's regulators in determining whether to allow investment made by sovereign wealth funds.
GIC set to contribute to bank rescue fund
The Government of Singapore Investment Corporation, a sovereign wealth fund, could become the lead investor in a $6 billion fund set up to invest in troubled banks.
US Treasury warns SWF rules could cause backlash
David McCormick, the US Treasury's undersecretary for foreign affairs, has said that rules forcing sovereign wealth funds to be more transparent could backfire.
Noyer's lonely moment
Robert Pringle, the editor of Central Banking journal, speculates on what kind of questions went through the mind of Christian Noyer, governor of the Banque de France, when he first learned of the Societe Generale disaster.
Japan's Nukaga scuppers sovereign fund plans
Fukushiro Nukaga, Japan's finance minister, said last Friday that the government was unlikely to set up a sovereign wealth fund because of the risks associated with such a move.
IMF calls on top state funds to make the rules
The International Monetary Fund has called on sovereign wealth funds in Singapore, Norway and Abu Dhabi to develop a set of benchmarks for transparency.
New SWF event to be held in London
Whether being portrayed as villains for their opacity and secrecy, or as saviours for shoring up the capital bases of some of the biggest investment banks, sovereign wealth funds have seldom been off the front page of late.
Merrill confirms Kuwaiti and Korean involvement
The Kuwait Investment Authority and Korean Investment Corporation became the two latest sovereign wealth funds to capitalise on banks' subprime losses, buying into Merrill Lynch, an investment bank.
Kuwait SWF set to make move on Wall Street
The Kuwait Investment Authority, a sovereign wealth fund, may be about to invest billions in Merrill Lynch and Citigroup, two of the biggest casualties of the subprime crisis.
Top European politicians attack SWFs
Nicolas Sarkozy, France's president, on Saturday criticised the hypocrisy of sovereign wealth funds which are keen to buy foreign firms but disallow outside ownership in their own economies. His comments followed those of Charlie McCreevy, an EU…
Saudi must diversify investments, says top bank
The National Commercial Bank, Saudi Arabia's largest state bank, has called on the government to set up a sovereign wealth fund to cut the country's exposure to the greenback. The central bank should also look at de-pegging the riyal from the dollar.
SWFs investment in banks: an alarming trend?
In the wake of the credit crunch banks' capital cushions have deflated dangerously. And, in response, some have turned to one group of investors untouched by subprime credit or by mark-to-market reporting requirements: sovereign wealth funds (SWFs)…
Pacific Island SWFs hampered by mismanagement
Little integration with budgets, institutional weaknesses and inadequate controls have hindered the performance of sovereign wealth funds run by the authorities in Pacific Island countries, research published by the International Monetary Fund finds.
Kuwaiti SWF could be next to invest on Wall Street
Bader Al-Sa'ad, the head of Kuwait Investment Authority, the state's sovereign wealth fund, indicated that his could be the next fund to inject funds into a finance industry clawing for capital in the aftermath of the subprime crisis.
Singapore SWF could invest $5 billion in US bank
Temasek, the Singapore finance ministry's sovereign wealth fund, could be the latest fund to cash in on Wall Street's subprime losses by injecting as much as $5 billion into Merrill Lynch in exchange for what could amount to a 10% stake in the American…
China SWF invests $5 billion in Morgan Stanley
The China Investment Corporation (CIC) became the latest sovereign wealth fund to capitalise on commercial banks' subprime losses on Wednesday, injecting $5 billion into Morgan Stanley, an American financial services group. The deal could lead to CIC…