Nineteen out of the top 20 most researched funds last year by Asia-Pacific (ex-Japan) institutional investors and consultants were equity funds, according to data compiled by Evestment. There was one hedge fund, which is a global quant fund managed by AQR Capital Management.
Although the results are similar to the most viewed funds in the middle of last year, for the full year 2018 only one US-focused equity fund made it on the list compared to five last year.
Now global equity funds dominate, followed by five global emerging market funds.
Top 20 most viewed products in 2018
| Rank | Firm | Product | Investment Region | Asset Class |
| 1 | MFS Investment Management | MFS Global Equity | Global | Equity |
| 2 | Veritas Asset Management LLP | Veritas Global Focus Fund | Global | Equity |
| 3 | Baillie Gifford & Co | Long Term Global Growth | Global | Equity |
| 4 | GQG Partners LLC | GQG Global Equity | ACWI | Equity |
| 5 | GQG Partners LLC | GQG Emerging Markets Equity | Global Emg Mkts | Equity |
| 6 | Walter Scott & Partners Limited | Global Strategy | Global | Equity |
| 7 | WEDGE Capital Management, L.L.P. | QVM Small/Mid Cap Value | United States | Equity |
| 8 | Nuveen, a TIAA Company | TIAA Investments CREF Stock Account | Global | Equity |
| 9 | AQR Capital Management LLC | Emerging Enhanced Equity | Global Emg Mkts | Equity |
| 10 | Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. | Oaktree Emerging Markets Equity | Global Emg Mkts | Equity |
| 11 | Sanders Capital, LLC | Global Value | Global | Equity |
| 11 | Aberdeen Standard Investments | Emerging Markets Equity | Global Emg Mkts | Equity |
| 11 | AQR Capital Management LLC | Managed Futures Strategy | Global | Hedge Funds |
| 14 | Coronation Fund Managers Limited | Coronation Global Emerging Markets Equity Strategy | Global Emg Mkts | Equity |
| 15 | Jupiter Fund Management Plc | UK Equity Value (Ben Whitmore) | United Kingdom | Equity |
| 16 | Hosking Partners LLP | Global Equities | Global | Equity |
| 17 | Hexavest Inc. | Hexavest Global Equity | Global | Equity |
| 17 | Arrowstreet Capital, Limited Partnership | Global Equity – ACWI | ACWI | Equity |
| 19 | Sands Capital Management, LLC | Global Growth | Global | Equity |
| 19 | Sustainable Growth Advisers, LP | Flagship Global Growth Equity | Global | Equity |
Source: Evestment. Institutional investors and consultants in Asia-Pacific (ex-Japan).
The most researched fund is the MFS Global Equity Fund. The product is tilted toward growth companies in terms of style, with healthcare (19.81% of the fund’s assets) and industrials (11.82%) accounting for the largest sector allocations in the portfolio, according to data from Morningstar Direct.
Fixed income avoided
The data represents funds that only were searched for on the firm’s mutual fund platform. However, there is some correlation with fund flows in Asia ex-Japan in 2018, when equities were a preferred asset class over fixed income in most markets.
Fixed income funds saw the largest net outflows last year in Singapore, India, Hong Kong and Thailand. However, product demand may vary from one market to the other. For example, mixed-asset funds continue to be popular in Hong Kong and Singapore, while Thai investors poured money into property and global equity funds.
However, fixed income funds were the most popular asset class last year among Taiwan and onshore Chinese investors.
In addition, FE’s most researched funds in Hong Kong and Singapore included income-generating bond and equity dividend funds, suggesting that income may continue to be an investment theme among investors in both markets.
