A big, multi-billion dollar scheme, the Abu Dhabi Retirement Pensions and Benefits Fund began deploying its capital across global markets in 2005. Simon Mumme speaks to chief investment officer Stefan Cowell about the fund’s current investment appetite and the steep learning curve it is charting.
Faced with falling valuations and few options for raising new capital, European private equity managers have targeted family companies undergoing generational change and corporate consolidations across the continent to secure new deals. But some managers are struggling to keep existing portfolios afloat, and have asked investors to ‘recycle’ commitments into old investments.
Hurt by mark-to-market losses and exercising caution in the face of an unforgiving investment environment, sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) made only 26 investments, worth $6.8 billion, in the first quarter of 2009 – their lowest deployment of capital since the fourth quarter of 2005.
Neuroeconomics provides a scientific explanation of why the vast majority of investors fall prey to the market cycle- and can’t resist it. Simon Mumme talks to director of UBS Wealth Management Research, Joachim Klement about the limits of active investing.
The $202 billion Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) is ready to sell its 24.6 per cent stake in domestic telecommunications company Zain and is awaiting attractive offers from bidders as it seeks liquidity to finance the nation’s budget.
Aabar Investments, an investment company backed by an Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund, has become the first external investor in commercial space carrier Virgin Galactic, buying a 32 per cent stake for $280 million.
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