Asia

SOUTH KOREA - South Korea has asserted itself as king of the equity derivatives hill with its strengthening economy, a soaring stock market and a population increasingly keen on new investment products.

ASIA - Asian hedge fund activity is expected to heat up this year, with institutional investors, including pension funds, using their clout to get better returns from the companies they invest in.

JAPAN - Offshore and foreign institutional investors have become more important to Japanese equity brokers because of their trading behaviour and increased activity in the Japanese equity market.

JAPAN - Despite concerns over funding levels and the need to increase investment returns, Japanese institutional investors are increasing their activity in government bonds, according to research published by Greenwich Associates.

KOREA - Mercer Human Resource Consulting in Korea has entered into a corporate pensions business alliance with the Korea Development Bank (KDB). The agreement has set out the basis for mutual co-operation between Mercer and the Korean bank with the aim...

INDIA - The Indian government is reportedly planning to establish a regulator for the pension fund industry at the start of the new year.

ASIA - The pensions industry in Asia may be spared of the "pensions time-bomb" facing other developed markets due to positive demographics and a propensity to save. According to Justin Pascoe, Asia ex-Japan CIO at State Street Global Advisors (SSgA),...

TAIWAN -Taiwan's US$15bn Bureau of Labour Insurance (BLI), a state-owned pension fund, has awarded its first four international investment mandates worth $400m covering global fixed income and global equities.

JAPAN - About 25% of all Japanese DB plans will be closed to new employees by 2008, Greenwich Associates research has found.

INDIA - BNP Paribas Asset Management will buy a 49.9% stake in Sundaram Asset Management Company Limited, it was announced today.