Thailand’s Krungsri Asset Management has launched a dividend-paying equity fund in light of the expected rise of the Thai stock market.
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Thailand’s Krungsri Asset Management has launched a dividend-paying equity fund in light of the expected rise of the Thai stock market.
Equity inflows were $232m in 2016, but fixed income funds reached $21.9bn, almost double that of 2015, according to Morningstar data.
Former Fidelity Korea country head Michael Reed has been appointed Bangkok-based CEO for Manulife Asset Management Thailand.
Relaxed regulations for Thai investors promise more access to global funds, but take-up could be slow because they compete with locally-wrapped funds, said Morningstar’s senior research analyst in Thailand, Kittikun Tanaratpattanakit.
However, assets are concentrated among the larger players, according to Cerulli Associates.
Thailand has proposed revising the rules to ensure only accredited investors – such as high net worth individuals – with matching risk profiles are eligible to invest in high risk mutual funds.
Amid weak growth and currency instability, ASEAN’s potential still remains strong with the region set for a likely recovery by the end of 2015, according to Baring Asset Management.
Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission said that it intends to permit the launch of offshore hedge funds and junk bond funds later this year.
As China and Hong Kong unlatch the gate for cross-border fund distribution, regulatory changes in markets such as the Philippines and Malaysia are also opening for retail mutual funds, according to Cerulli Associates.
Thailand’s wealth management opportunity is expanding, which is why Standard Chartered recently set up a dedicated wealth management product group in-country and appointed Sachin Bhambani as the new head of wealth management, based in Bangkok.
Part of the Mark Allen Group.