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BlackRock receives first RQFII licence from CSRC
April 16, 2014--BlackRock has been awarded its first renminbi qualified foreign institutional investor (RQFII) licence by the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC).
The licence has been awarded to BlackRock Asset Management North Asia Limited, a subsidiary of BlackRock Inc, to invest in the domestic capital markets in China, including the A-Share equity and onshore bond markets. BlackRock will apply for investment quotas under the licence from the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE).
IMF report-Malaysia: Financial Sector Assessment Program Financial Sector Performance, Vulnerabilities and Derivatives-Technical Note
April 15, 2014--EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Strong regulatory oversight, coupled with efforts to restructure the banking sector in the aftermath of the Asian financial crisis in 1997-1998, has supported rapid growth in Malaysia's financial sector over the last decade.1 The banking sector has undergone
consolidation while competition has increased following measures implemented under the
Financial Sector Master Plan 2001-2010.
The financial system weathered the 2008 global financial crisis well; the banking sector remained stable due to healthy capital and liquidity
levels, while the impact on the domestic economy was felt primarily through trade channels.
Malaysian banks are presently well capitalized with comfortable tier 1 capital ratios. Domestic banking groups are expected to be able to meet Basel III capital requirements, barring any unforeseen tail-risk scenarios. Although the full implementation of Basel III only begins in 2019, maintaining high equity capital buffers should enhance stability and enables hybrid capital to be retired when they reach maturity or call dates.
Korean investors look to ETFs for international investment themes
April 14, 2014--One manager at KDB Daewoo Securities, Jesse Tyler Buzzie, indicates that he thinks that the gradual increase seen in Korean institutional participation in the ETF market, which now accounts for 24% of ETF turnover there, "could well be the attraction of access to various investment sectors of global markets at very low transactions costs."
While not a solution for every investment objective of the Korean institutional investors, it is increasingly clear that for some, the attraction of ETFs that are managed by leading Korean asset managers using first-tier benchmark companies, such as the MSCI and FTSE, are investment options that are too attractive to pass by.
iShares chief scorns global listing plan for Chinese equities
April 13, 2014--The head of iShares-the world's top provider of exchange traded funds-has poured cold water on plans from MSCI and FTSE to include mainland Chinese equities on their global indices, which are tracked by trillions of dollars of assets.
Mark Wiedman, iShares global chief and a member of BlackRock's executive committee, told the Financial Times...
QDII 2 unveiled in landmark China opening
April 11, 2014--A scheme to link the Hong Kong and Shanghai exchanges and allow institutions and wealthy individuals to trade cross-border is broadly welcomed.
The launch is expected in six months, potentially alongside mutual recognition of funds.
Time For South Asia to Focus Attention on Domestic Risks, World Bank Says
With external vulnerability receding, time to refocus on reforms
April 9, 2014--The World Bank said today it was cautiously optimistic about economic prospects in South Asia in 2014 because of growing exports and investment as it emphasized that the risks to growth were becoming more domestic, including an increasingly vulnerable banking sector.
In its twice-a-year "South Asia Economic Focus", the World Bank forecast that economic growth would rise to 5.8% in 2015 from 5.2% this year and 4.8% last year. South Asian countries -which include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka- appeared to have largely recovered from last year's financial turmoil caused by changes in US Federal Reserve monetary policy. Many were rebuilding currency reserves while curbing current account deficits.
view the World Bank South Asia Economic Focus Spring 2014 report
Malaysia's i-VCAP to boost Islamic ETF with foreign stocks
April 8, 2014--I-VCAP Management, Malaysia's only asset manager offering Islamic exchange-traded funds, will this year launch its first product that includes foreign equities to attract new investors.
The new Islamic ETF will be pegged to a regional index and serve investors looking for a more convenient and affordable way into sharia-compliant stocks in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, i-VCAP said.
Barclays El-Asmar to depart
April 8, 2014--Philippe El-Asmar, head of global equities distribution and head of distribution Asia Pacific at Barclays in Hong Kong, will leave the firm at the end of April.
Patrick Kwan, head of global financing risk solutions at the firm, also in Hong Kong, will assume El-Asmar's duties, while retaining his current role. The reason for El-Asmar’s departure could not be determined.
East Asian Economies Expected to Grow at a Stable Pace in 2014
Structural Reforms Key to Long-Term Growth and Prosperity
April 7, 2014--Developing countries in the East Asia Pacific region will see stable economic growth this year,bolstered by a recovery in high-income economies and the market's modest response so far to the Federal Reserve's tapering of its quantitative easing,according to the East Asia Pacific Economic Update released today by the World Bank.
Developing East Asia will grow by 7.1 percent this year,largely unchanged from 2013,the report says. As a result,East Asia remains the fastest growing region in the world,despite a slowdown from the average growth rate of 8.0 percent from 2009 to 2013. In China,growth will ease slightly,to 7.6 percent this year from 7.7 percent in 2013. Excluding China,the developing countries in the region will grow by 5.0 percent,slightly down from 5.2 percent last year.
view the World Bank
East Asia Pacific Economic Update
April 2014
ETF/ETN Monthly Report for Mar 2014
April 4, 2014--Daily average trading value surpassed JPY 100 billion for the fifth consecutive month
The ETF/ETN market remained vibrant in March 2014, with a daily average trading value of about JPY 119.2 billion and monthly trading value reaching about JPY 2.38 trillion.
Leveraged ETFs continued to be a driving force in the market, with NEXT FUNDS Nikkei 225 Leveraged Index Exchange Traded Fund (1570) sustaining its more than 60% share of ETF/ETN market trading value.
NEXT FUNDS Russia RTS Linked Exchange Traded Fund (1324) also saw considerable gains in trading.
view the Tokyo Stock Exchange ETF/ETN Monthly Report for Mar 2014
