Colombian AFP pension funds added USD 525 million to their positions in cross-border mutual funds and ETFs in January. Purchases were concentrated in equity-oriented products to the USA. Vanguard, Aberdeen, iShares and MFS were among those who benefited from the new inflows.
Colombian AFPs directed USD 500 million to cross-border ETFs and funds in January, despite market turmoil
MFS hires proprietary sales head in Chile to develop business beyond AFPs
Fuenzalida's major focus will be on developing and expanding MFS's business in the retail segment of that country, namely locally-owned private banks, local brokerage houses and advisories, funds of funds, family offices, multi-family offices and insurance companies.
No surprise: Global allocators shift to a “risk-off” position amid geopolitical uncertainty
The survey found that sentiment towards global emerging markets is close to reaching a low and that improvement is in sight. The proportion of global asset allocators underweighting emerging-market equities has risen two percentage points month-on-month to a net 31% – a new record low.
Gardener tapped to head up AXA’s newly-formed Institutional Client Group
Gardener, who was global CIO of Mercer before joining AXA, will lead the development of the firm's offering and approach to institutional clients, including insurance companies, pension funds, and sovereign wealth funds.
Claritas brings to market two funds of international funds
With an eye on the internationalization process that Brazilian pension funds are reluctantly starting early this 2014, a bunch of local mutual fund managers begin to bring to market locally-domiciled products that focus on cross-border instruments.
Distributors have mixed feelings about SBS change
Market agents contacted by Fund Pro Latin America said that, with the new rule, the SBS is clearly taking a load off its own shoulders, but at the same time saddling AFPs with the responsibility for due diligence. ETF providers and active managers with well-established relationships are the likely beneficiaries.
BNP to help AXA IM make inroads in Latam wealth space
Axa IM is keeping up with the growing trend of fund managers seeking to widen their distribution the Latin American region. This step is part of the ongoing efforts of the asset manager - already an important player in the Chilean institutional space - to expand its geographical footprint and break into other business segments.
Six cross-border funds gained first-time access to Chilean AFP portfolios in February
In a month where AFPs reduced their exposure to international instruments, six funds managed to land first-time investments from the pension managers. New AFP investment went to products of the following managers: Invesco (2), PIMCO (2), Investec (1) and TIAA-CREFF (1).
Deutsche moves senior exec to NY to head Latam asset-management business
Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management has transferred its head of asset management for Latin America and Spain, Pedro Dañobeitia, to a new post in the Global Client Group, fully dedicated to Latin America.
Derivatives use by long-only funds still likely to frustrate global managers in Peru
The regulation, which will create a system similar to the one operating in Colombia, provided a glass-half-empty vs. glass-half-full predicament for global fund managers, since mention of derivatives use in the funds' investment policies may still prevent largely long-only funds from flying under the regulators' radar.









