Sovereign wealth fund

A sovereign wealth fund (SWF) is a state-owned investment fund investing in real and financial assets such as stocks, bonds, real estate, precious metals, or in alternative investments such as private equity fund or hedge funds. Sovereign wealth funds invest globally. Most SWFs are funded by revenues from commodity exports or from foreign-exchange reserves held by the central bank. By historic convention, the United States' Social Security Trust Fund, with $2.8 trillion of assets in 2014, is not considered a sovereign wealth fund.

Some sovereign wealth funds may be held by a central bank, which accumulates the funds in the course of its management of a nation's banking system; this type of fund is usually of major economic and fiscal importance. Other sovereign wealth funds are simply the state savings that are invested by various entities for the purposes of investment return, and that may not have a significant role in fiscal management.

The accumulated funds may have their origin in, or may represent, foreign currency deposits, gold, special drawing rights (SDRs) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) reserve positions held by central banks and monetary authorities, along with other national assets such as pension investments, oil funds, or other industrial and financial holdings. These are assets of the sovereign nations that are typically held in domestic and different reserve currencies (such as the dollar, euro, pound, and yen). Such investment management entities may be set up as official investment companies, state pension funds, or sovereign oil funds, among others.

There have been attempts to distinguish funds held by sovereign entities from foreign-exchange reserves held by central banks. Sovereign wealth funds can be characterized as maximizing long-term return, with foreign exchange reserves serving short-term "currency stabilization", and liquidity management. Many central banks in recent years possess reserves massively in excess of needs for liquidity or foreign exchange management. Moreover, it is widely believed most have diversified hugely into assets other than short-term, highly liquid monetary ones, though almost no data is publicly available to back up this assertion. Some central banks have even begun buying equities, or derivatives of differing ilk (even if fairly safe ones, like overnight interest rate swaps).

History

The term "sovereign wealth fund" was first used in 2005 by Andrew Rozanov in an article entitled, "Who holds the wealth of nations?" in the Central Banking Journal.[1] The previous edition of the journal described the shift from traditional reserve management to sovereign wealth management; subsequently the term gained widespread use as the spending power of global officialdom has rocketed upward.

Some of them have grabbed attention making bad investments in several Wall Street financial firms such as Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, and Merrill Lynch. These firms needed a cash infusion due to losses resulting from mismanagement and the subprime mortgage crisis.

SWFs invest in a variety of asset classes such as stocks, bonds, real estate, private equity and hedge funds. Many sovereign funds are directly investing in institutional real estate. According to the Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute's transaction database around US$9.26 billion in direct sovereign wealth fund transactions were recorded in institutional real estate for the last half of 2012.[2] In the first half of 2014, global sovereign wealth fund direct deals amounted to $50.02 bil according to the SWFI.[3]

Early SWFs

Sovereign wealth funds have existed for more than a century, but since 2000, the number of sovereign wealth funds has increased dramatically. The first SWFs were non-Federal U.S. state funds established in the mid-19th century to fund specific public services.[4] The U.S. state of Texas was thus the first to establish such a scheme, to fund public education. The Permanent School Fund (PSF) was created in 1854 to benefit primary and secondary schools, with the Permanent University Fund (PUF) following in 1876 to benefit universities. The PUF was endowed with public lands, the ownership of which the state retained by terms of the 1845 annexation treaty between the Republic of Texas and the United States. While the PSF was first funded by an appropriation from the state legislature, it also received public lands at the same time that the PUF was created. The first SWF established for a sovereign state is the Kuwait Investment Authority, a commodity SWF created in 1953 from oil revenues before Kuwait gained independence from the United Kingdom. According to many estimates, Kuwait's fund is now worth approximately US$600 billion.

Another early registered SWFs is the Revenue Equalization Reserve Fund of Kiribati. Created in 1956, when the British administration of the Gilbert Islands in Micronesia put a levy on the export of phosphates used in fertilizer, the fund has since then grown to $520 million.[5]

Nature and purpose

SWFs are typically created when governments have budgetary surpluses and have little or no international debt. It is not always possible or desirable to hold this excess liquidity as money or to channel it into immediate consumption. This is especially the case when a nation depends on raw material exports like oil, copper or diamonds. In such countries, the main reason for creating a SWF is because of the properties of resource revenue: high volatility of resource prices, unpredictability of extraction, and exhaustibility of resources.

There are two types of funds: saving funds and stabilization funds. Stabilization SWFs are created to reduce the volatility of government revenues, to counter the boom-bust cycles' adverse effect on government spending and the national economy. Savings SWFs build up savings for future generations. One such fund is the Government Pension Fund of Norway. It is believed that SWFs in resource-rich countries can help avoid resource curse, but the literature on this question is controversial. Governments may be able to spend the money immediately, but risk causing the economy to overheat, e.g., in Hugo Chávez's Venezuela or Shah-era Iran. In such circumstances, saving the money to spend during a period of low inflation is often desirable.

Other reasons for creating SWFs may be economic, or strategic, such as war chests for uncertain times. For example, the Kuwait Investment Authority during the Gulf War managed excess reserves above the level needed for currency reserves (although many central banks do that now). The Government of Singapore Investment Corporation and Temasek Holdings are partially the expression of a desire to bolster Singapore's standing as an international financial centre. The Korea Investment Corporation has since been similarly managed. Sovereign wealth funds invest in all types of companies and assets, including startups like Xiaomi and renewable energy companies like Bloom Energy.[6]

Concerns about SWFs

The growth of sovereign wealth funds is attracting close attention because:

The governments of SWF's commit to follow certain rules:

Developments in 2008

New SWFs established in developed jurisdictions since 2010

New SWFs were established in various developed jurisdictions after 2010 following the rise in energy and commodity prices, e.g., the North Dakota Legacy Fund (2011) and the Western Australian Future Fund (2012). The Bank of Israel-managed Israeli sovereign investment fund (to be established end 2014) should start operating in 2016 after more than five years of preparatory work involving veteran American as well as local asset management experts.[4]

Size of SWFs

Assets under management of SWFs increased for the fifth year running in 2013 to a record $5.78 trillion.[11] There was an additional $7.2 trillion held in other sovereign investment vehicles, such as pension reserve funds, development funds and state-owned corporations' funds and $8.1 trillion in other official foreign exchange reserves. Taken together, governments of SWFs, largely those in emerging economies, have access to a pool of funds totalling $20 trillion. Some of these funds could in future be channelled towards funding development of infrastructure for which there is global demand.

Countries with SWFs funded by oil and gas exports, primarily oil and gas exports, totalled $4.29 trillion as of the end of 2014.[12] Non-oil and gas SWFs totalled $2.82 trillion. Non-commodity SWFs are typically funded by transfer of assets from official foreign exchange reserves, and in some cases from government budget surpluses and privatisation revenue. Asian countries account for the bulk of such funds.

An important point to note is the SWF-to-Foreign Reserve Exchange Ratio, which shows the proportion a government has invested in investments relative to currency reserves. According to the SWF Institute, most oil-producing nations in the Persian Gulf have a higher SWF-to-Foreign Exchange Ratio — for example, the Qatar Investment Authority (5.89 times) compared to the China Investment Corporation (0.12 times) — reflecting a more aggressive stance to seek higher returns.

Largest sovereign wealth funds

Country Abbreviation Fund Assets US$Billion[13] Inception Origin
Norway Norway GPF Government Pension Fund - Global 847.6[14] 1990 Oil
United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates
   Abu Dhabi (emirate) Abu Dhabi
ADIA Abu Dhabi Investment Authority 773 1976 Oil
China China CIC China Investment Corporation 746.7 2007 Non-commodity
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia SAMA SAMA Foreign Holdings 632.3 1952 Oil
Kuwait Kuwait KIA Kuwait Investment Authority 592 1953 Oil
China China SAFE SAFE Investment Company 474** 1997 Non-commodity
Hong Kong Hong Kong HKMA Hong Kong Monetary Authority Investment Portfolio 442.4 1993 Non-commodity
Singapore Singapore GIC Government of Singapore Investment Corporation 344 1981 Non-commodity
Qatar Qatar QIA Qatar Investment Authority 256 2003 Oil
China China NSSF National Social Security Fund 236 2000 Non-commodity
Singapore Singapore TH Temasek Holdings 193.6 1974 Non-commodity
United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates
   Dubai Dubai
ICD Investment Corporation of Dubai 183 2006 Oil
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia PIF/Sanabil Government's Public Investment Fund that owns Sanabil Investments[15] 160 2008 Oil
United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates
   Abu Dhabi (emirate) Abu Dhabi
ADIC Abu Dhabi Investment Council 110 2007 Oil
Australia Australia AFF Future Fund[16] 95 2006 Non-commodity
South Korea South Korea KIC Korea Investment Corporation 91.8 2005 Non-commodity
Kazakhstan Kazakhstan S-K JSC Samruk-Kazyna JSC 85.1 2008 Non-commodity
Kazakhstan Kazakhstan KNF Kazakhstan National Fund 77 2000 Oil
Russia Russia RNWF Russian National Wealth Fund 73.5 2008 Oil
United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates
   Abu Dhabi (emirate) Abu Dhabi
IPIC International Petroleum Investment Company 66.3 1984 Oil
United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates
   Abu Dhabi (emirate) Abu Dhabi
MDC Mubadala Development Company 66.3 2002 Oil
Libya Libya LIA Libyan Investment Authority 66 2006 Oil
Russia Russia RRF Russian Reserve Fund 65.7 2008 Oil
Iran Iran NDF National Development Fund 62 1999 Oil
United States United States of America
   Alaska Alaska
APF Alaska Permanent Fund[17] 53.9 1976 Oil
Algeria Algeria RRF Revenue Regulation Fund 50 2000 Oil
Malaysia Malaysia KN Khazanah Nasional 41.6 1993 Non-commodity
Brunei Brunei BIA Brunei Investment Agency 40 1983 Oil
United States United States of America
   Texas Texas
PSF Permanent School Fund 37.7[18][19] 1854 Public Lands
Azerbaijan Azerbaijan SOFAZ State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan 37.3 1999 Oil
Oman Oman SGRF State General Reserve Fund 34 1980 Oil & Gas
France France SIF Strategic Investment Fund 25.5 2008 Non-commodity
Republic of Ireland Ireland NPRF National Pensions Reserve Fund 23.5 2001 Non-commodity
New Zealand New Zealand NZSF New Zealand Superannuation Fund 20.2 2003 Non-commodity
United States United States of America
   New Mexico New Mexico
NMSIC New Mexico State Investment Council 19.8 1958 Non-commodity
Canada Canada
   Alberta Alberta
AHSTF Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund[20] 17.5 1976 Oil
United States United States of America
   Texas Texas
PUF Permanent University Fund 17.2[21] 1876 Public Lands
East Timor Timor Leste TLPF Timor-Leste Petroleum Fund 16.9 2005 Oil & Gas
Chile Chile SESF Social and Economic Stabilization Fund 15.2 2007 Copper
United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates
   (Federal)
EIA Emirates Investment Authority 15 2007 Oil
Russia Russia RDIF Russian Direct Investment Fund 13 2011 Non-commodity
Finland Finland - Solidium 11.5[22] 2008 Non-commodity
Bahrain Bahrain MHC Mumtalakat Holding Company 11.1 2006 Oil
Peru Peru FSF Fiscal Stabilization Fund 9.2 1999 Non-commodity
Chile Chile PRF Pension Reserve Fund 7.9 2006 Copper
Mexico Mexico ORSFM Oil Revenues Stabilization Fund of Mexico 6 2000 Oil
Oman Oman OIF Oman Investment Fund 6 2006 Oil
Italy Italy ISF Italian Strategic Fund 6 2011 Non-commodity
Botswana Botswana PF Pula Fund 5.7 1996 Diamonds & Minerals
United States United States of America
   Wyoming Wyoming
PWMTF Permanent Wyoming Mineral Trust Fund 5.6 1974 Minerals
Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad & Tobago HSF Heritage and Stabilization Fund 5.5 2000 Oil
Brazil Brazil SFB Sovereign Fund of Brazil 5.3 2008 Non-commodity
China China CADF China-Africa Development Fund 5 2007 Non-commodity
Angola Angola FSDEA Fundo Soberano de Angola 5 2012 Oil
United States United States of America
   North Dakota North Dakota
NDLF North Dakota Legacy Fund 3.2 2011 Oil & Gas
United States United States of America
   Alabama Alabama
ATF Alabama Trust Fund 2.5 1985 Oil & Gas
Kazakhstan Kazakhstan NIC National Investment Corporation 2 2012 Oil
Nigeria Nigeria
   (Bayelsa State)
BDIC Bayelsa Development and Investment Corporation 1.5 2012 Non-commodity
Nigeria Nigeria NSIA Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority 1.4 2011 Oil
United States United States of America
   Louisiana Louisiana
LEQTF Louisiana Education Quality Trust Fund 1.3 1986 Oil & Gas
Panama Panama FAP Fondo de Ahorro de Panama 1.2 2012 Non-commodity
United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates
   Ras al-Khaimah Ra's al Khaymah
RIA RAKIA 1.2 2005 Credits obtained via RAK Government
Bolivia Bolivia FINPRO Fund for Productive Industrial Revolution 1.2 2012 Non-commodity
United States United States of America
   Oregon Oregon
CSF Oregon Common School Fund 1.2[23] 1859 Public Lands
Senegal Senegal SSIF Senegal Strategic Investment Fund - FONSIS 1 2012 Non-commodity
Iraq Iraq DFI Development Fund for Iraq 0.9 2003 Oil
State of Palestine Palestine PIF Palestine Investment Fund 0.8 2003 Non-commodity
Venezuela Venezuela FEM FEM - Macroeconomic Stabilization Fund 0.8 1998 Oil
Kiribati Kiribati RERF Revenue Equalization Reserve Fund 0.6 1956 Phosphates
Vietnam Vietnam SCIC State Capital Investment Corporation 0.5 2006 Non-commodity
Ghana Ghana GPF Ghana Petroleum Funds 0.45 2011 Oil
Gabon Gabon GSWF Sovereign Fund of the Gabonese Republic 0.4 1998 Oil
Indonesia Indonesia GIU Government Investment Unit of Indonesia
(Pusat Investasi Pemerintah (PIP))
0.3 2006 Non-commodity
Mauritania Mauritania NFHR National Fund for Hydrocarbon Reserves 0.3 2006 Oil & Gas
Australia Australia
   Western Australia Western Australia
WAFF Western Australian Future Fund 0.3 2012 Minerals
Mongolia Mongolia FSF Fiscal Stability Fund 0.3 2011 Mining
Equatorial Guinea Equatorial Guinea FFG Fund for Future Generations 0.08 2002 Oil
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea PNGSWF Papua New Guinea Sovereign Wealth Fund X 2011 Gas
Turkmenistan Turkmenistan TSF Turkmenistan Stabilization Fund X 2008 Oil & Gas
United States United States of America
   West Virginia West Virginia
WVFF West Virginia Future Fund X 2014 Oil & Gas
Mexico Mexico FMP Fondo Mexicano del Petroleo para la Estabilizacion y el Desarrollo X 2014 Oil & Gas

** This number is a best-guess estimation by the Sovereign Wealth Funds Institute.

See also

References

  1. "Who holds the wealth of nations?" (PDF). Central Banking Journal (May 2005, Volume 15, Number 4). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-05-29. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
  2. "Sovereign Funds Embrace Direct Real Asset Deals." SWF Institute. August 1, 2013. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  3. Dunkley, Dan. "Sovereign-Wealth Funds Pump Near Record Amount of Cash in Deals". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2014-08-08.
  4. 1 2 3 M. Nicolas J. Firzli and Joshua Franzel: ‘Non-Federal Sovereign Wealth Funds in the United States and Canada’, Revue Analyse Financière, Q3 2014
  5. "The world's most expensive club". The Economist. 2007-05-24.
  6. "Sovereign-Wealth Funds Went Full Steam Ahead Direct Investing in 2014". Wall Street Journal. 2015-01-06.
  7. "Sovereign Wealth Funds: The New Hedge Fund?". The New York Times. 2007-08-01.
  8. Sovereign Wealth Funds: Generally Accepted Principles and Practices (Santiago Principles), International Working Group of Sovereign Wealth Funds, October 2008
  9. http://www.brookings.edu/research/papers/2011/03/11-sovereign-wealth-funds
  10. "Sovereign funds sign up to code of conduct". Financial Times. 2008-09-09.
  11. http://www.swfinstitute.org/fund-rankings/. Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute. Retrieved on 2013-08-05
  12. http://www.swfinstitute.org/fund-rankings/
  13. Sovereign Wealth Funds Institute
  14. http://www.nbim.no
  15. http://www.oxfordbusinessgroup.com/news/sovereign-wealth-country%E2%80%99s-wealth-funds-now-include-more-diverse-investments
  16. Future Fund
  17. Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation web site
  18. "Texas Permanent School Fund". Texas Education Agency Website. TEA. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  19. "Permanent School Funds Hits $25B Level". Texas Education Agency Website. TEA. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  20. Government of Alberta – Finance (AHSTF)
  21. "Permanent University Fund Semi-Annual Report" (PDF). University of Texas Investment Management Company. June 30, 2013. Retrieved August 17, 2013.
  22. http://www.solidium.fi/home
  23. "About the Common School Fund". Oregon Department of State Lands. June 30, 2013. Retrieved March 1, 2015.

Further reading

External links

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