Huge pile of cash Manulife

Investors across the region rely heavily on cash savings, making it difficult to meet their key financial goals, the firm said. Across Asia, local-currency cash holdings account for a “disproportionately” large percentage of self-reported assets at about 37%. This rises to about 42% if foreign-currency cash holdings are added. Source: Manulife Asset Management The comparatively […]

Wealth management to open in Hong Kong

AIAM is a Singapore-based organisation that consists of independent wealth managers who promote a better understanding of their business model. Although independent wealth managers are far fewer in Hong Kong than Singapore, they still need a unified voice, said Jessica Cutrera, managing director of the wealth management arm of EXS Capital, who is leading the […]

China gets lowest grade for investor experience

The research firm gave China a “D” because of high fees, particularly for allocation and money market funds. China’s limitations on overseas investing and restrictions on foreign-domiciled funds were also factors, as well as a relative lack of disclosure.  “China was one of a minority of markets where the disclosure of conflicts of interest by advisors […]

UBS Wealth to open second Hong Kong office

The firm’s new office will be located in the Tsim Sha Tsui district, across the harbour from Central, where UBS has its main office. UBS intends to serve clients on the Kowloon side of Hong Kong who have investable assets of $5m-$25m. The office opening is planned for the first quarter 2016 and will employ […]

Central bank action would boost cheap Korean equities

About 50% of Korea’s GDP is dependent on exports, which have been declining this year, according to Aidan Yao, senior emerging market economist at Axa Investment Managers. Weak external demand from the US is one reason why exports are falling. Also, Korean companies are strong competitors with their Japanese counterparts and the strengthening of the […]

China opens door further by clarifying “beneficial ownership”

The mainland regulator posted an FAQ notice on its website stating that “investors are legally entitled to the rights and benefits of shares acquired through the northbound trading link. “Accordingly, the CSRC Stock Connect Rules have expressly stipulated that, in northbound trading, overseas investors shall hold SSE [Shanghai Stock Exchange] securities through HKSCC and are entitled to […]

BMO clusters ETFs to offer portfolio strategies

Prakash said BMO is not putting funds together, but portfolio strategies that are actually implemented by the intermediaries. “The implementation happens with respect to the intermediary using their platform and clients benefit from the asset allocation decision. We would work with intermediaries so they are able to offer this to their client base.” ETFs have […]

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