News

In partnership with UFG, the EDHEC Risk and Asset Management Research Centre has launched the creation of the "Dynamic Allocation Models and New Forms of Target-Date Funds for Private and Institutional Clients" research chair.

AmInvestment Bank Berhad, as part of its Zero Strike programme, has listed Asia's first zero strike on Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Class B shares at $0.27.

BNP Paribas Investment launched an Islamic umbrella fund for investing in sukuk and murabaha.

Meyado Private Wealth Management has recently announced an expansion of operations as well as a relocation of offices.Meyado has recently hired more staff in their Singapore branch. Future plans for growth include hiring as many as five additional employees in the next six months to a year, despite the global financial crisis.Formerly housed in Singapore Land Tower, Meyado has taken over space in a shophouse in Far East Square."Yes, the economy is tough right now," said Mark Paine, CEO of Meyado Singapore. "But the reality is that some sectors of the financial community provide unique, valuable services to individuals that are now more important than ever. As an independent financial advisory, more and more people are coming to us for impartial advice, while simultaneously seeking out a company with very personal relationships. Hence, our growth."

UBS forged an alliance with Noble to expand its research products in Indian mid and small-cap stocks.

There has been a 16 percent increase in investor sentiment in Asia for the first quarter of 2009, according to the quarterly ING Investor Dashboard Survey.

CIMB-Principal Asset Management Berhad won the Best Malaysian Equity Fund award for its CIMB Islamic DALI Equity Growth Fund. The award, presented by Failaka Advisors at the 4th Annual Failaka Islamic Fund Awards, was based on the fund’s performance as of 31 December 2008.J. Campbell Tupling, CEO of CIMB-Principal, said: "The Fund has outperformed its index over a three-year period by 25.91 percent. The award goes to show that our fund has performed commendably with good capital preservation over the long term."According to CIMB, the fund has proven to be suitable for investors with a medium to long term investment horizon and for those who want to invest in a diversified portfolio that adheres to the Islamic principles. The fund, said the CIMB, is conservatively positioned with an equity allocation of 70 percent.The company further described its fund to consist of a bar-bell structure with a layer of defensives stocks which together make up 10 percent of the portfolio. At the same time, it said that the fund is also keyed into the current market theme, which is currently overweight in the Construction sector in anticipation of more pump-priming projects.Failaka Advisors offers institutions and private investors access to information on Shariah-compliant investment funds. Established in 1996, Failaka was the first company to monitor the performance of Shariah-compliant funds worldwide. It has then expanded its products and services to include advisory services and an online database and guide for Shariah scholars.

AXA has officially opened the AXA University Asia Pacific Campus in Singapore, the first in the Japan Asia-Pacific region. The Campus is aimed to be AXA’s regional hub of learning and development for Japan and Asia-Pacific employees and agents.

Maybank has launched the Maybank Autocall Structured Deposit (MASD), an investment opportunity for the Malaysian market aimed to take advantage of China’s economic recovery.

Allianz' life insurance premiums from both Asia-Pacific and the Middle East fell slightly to $7.4 billion due to the turmoil on financial markets. Allianz has more than 21 million customers in Asia Pacific and MENA today.

CIMB-Principal Asset Management Berhad recently won the Most Innovative Award for Investor Education by Asia Asset Management. The "Best of The Best Regional Award” recognises the Company’s exceptional education initiatives in 2008 to create awareness amongst investors on unit trust investments.

ING has bought 7,260,000 ordinary shares of its delta hedge portfolio, which is used to hedge employee options. The shares were bought on the open market at an average price of US$5.70 per share.

Alter Domus’ new Hong Kong office will enable it to provide corporate management services in Asia. At the same time it will also provide fund administration services to its global clients from its Hong Kong office via Skye Fund Services.

RBS will make Transamerica Insurance’s flagship Universal Life policies available to its customers.

HSBC Global Asset Management has extended its Singapore operations via Brunei to serve regional markets in South East Asia.

HSBC has launched a fund that will invest in a globally diversified portfolio of around 30 to 40 US dollar-denominated bonds. Known as the HSBC Investment Grade Bond Fund 2013, it also aims to deliver coupons on a semi-annual basis throughout its four-year investment tenure.