Tracking the Activities of Global Asset Managers in Latin America
Parvest Equity Europe Small Cap-I, a BNP Paribas fund, saw a USD 136 million May allocation that was the largest for an active fund within the Europe equity category. AFP allocations abroad in May totaled USD 17.1 billion, the highest level in over two years.
Natixis's José Luis León Dugand, country head Colombia, Panama and Peru, said the investment reflects a deepening of the confidence and knowledge of local institutional investors in the firm.
Total Colombian AFP assets abroad stood at nearly USD 17 billion in April, compared with USD 16.4 billion in March, and were at their highest level in at least two years. Emerging-market exposure clicked up two points to land at over 26%.
The locally domiciled fund aims to provide investors with attractive yields and long-dated investments linked to inflation.
Two emerging-market ETFs - one from iShares and the other from Vanguard - gathered close to USD 600 million in March from Colombian pension managers. A single AFP was responsible for two-thirds of the net investment.
Colombian AFPs' net February allocation of USD 255 million to emerging-markets equity reversed a four-month retreat from the category. Total AUMs abroad of USD 15.7 billion compare with less than USD 13 billion in February 2016.
Colombian pension-manager investments abroad reached a three-month high in January, as allocations to North America outpaced heavy redemptions from emerging markets. Japan also had a net positive month.
Colombian pension-manager allocations to North American equity as of December reached USD 3.2 billion in December, or 22% of the USD 14.5 billion cross-border portfolio, vs. just 14% in July.
Significant redemptions from Porvenir and Colfondos led to some disappointing results for global providers in November, especially iShares, Pictet and State Street.
Alain Foucrier Viana was named head of the Colombian pension fund Colfondos, replacing Alcides Vargas Manotas.
