The Economics of Sovereign Wealth Funds

Foreword xi
 
List of Tables and Figures xiii
 
List of Abbreviations xv
 
Acknowledgements xvii
 
Introduction 1
 
A few stylized facts 2
 
SWFs under the spotlight 4
 
Defining SWFs 9
 

Misplaced fears 10
 
The plan of the book 13
 
1 The Macroeconomic Dynamics Behind SWFs 17
 
1.1 Persistent current account surpluses translate into accumulation of foreign assets 18
 
1.2 Absorption constraints: the rationale for establishing SWFs and FWFs 21
 
1.3 The management of natural resources windfall 24
 
1.4 Commodities demand and the super-cycle theory 29
 
1.5 SWFs as alternative to an income tax system: what if Norway becomes like Saudi Arabia? 33
 
2 Size and Growth of SWFs Assets 37
 
2.1 Size and clusters of SWFs 38
 
2.2 Drivers of SWFs asset growth 43
 
2.3 The optimal level of foreign exchange reserves 45
 
2.4 Future growth in FX reserves: commodity- versus noncommodity-exporting countries 47
 
2.5 Size of SWFs by 2016 49
 
Appendix: How big could SWFs be by 2016? 54
 
3 SWFs as Investors in Global Markets 71
 
3.1 Clustering SWFs by objectives and investment profiles 74
 
3.2 SWFs as strategic investors in domestic and global markets 83
 
3.3 Geographical and sector distribution of SWF strategic investments: the 2007-2008 surge of investments in Western financials 86
 
3.4 Investment performance of SWFs and the impact of the financial crisis 94
 
3.5 Explicit and implicit liabilities of SWFs 97
 
3.6 Long-term investments: SWFs as the ultimate risk bearers 99
 
4 Risk Management for SWFs 105
 
4.1 The crisis in retrospect 108
 
4.2 The complex qualitative nature of risk: uncertainty, chaos, black swans and fat tails 111
 
4.3 Banking regulation, herd behaviour and contagion 113
 
4.4 The evolution of the regulatory framework

MASSIMILIANO CASTELLI, PhD, is Head of Global Strategy in the department advising central banks and Sovereign Wealth Funds at UBS Global Asset Management. In this role, he analyzes the market trends affecting the investment behaviour of sovereign institutions and works closely with investment specialists in providing investment advice and developing tailored investment solutions for this client segment. Since the political debate surrounding SWFs has appeared on the international policy agenda, he established himself as a global thought leader on the macroeconomic, financial and political trends in sovereign wealth management. He has often been called in by leading institutions and think tanks as an expert on global economic and financial matters, he regularly writes articles and essays on these topics and is often invited as a speaker at international conferences.
 
In his fifteen year long international professional career, he has been Head of governmental affairs for UBS in Europe, Middle East and Africa, Senior Economist for the Middle East region at UBS and an economic consultant advising governments and corporates in emerging markets on behalf of international institutions. He holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Rome where he lectured and an MSc in Economics from the University of London.
 
FABIO SCACCIAVILLANI, a PhD in Economics from the University of Chicago, is the Chief Economist and member of the Investment Committee of the Oman Investment Fund, which manages the Omani government's oil revenues for the benefit of future generations. In this role, he develops economic forecasts, conducts analyses on global trends, evaluates asset class returns, and contributes to strategic decision-making. He is one of the world's leading experts on the activity of Sovereign Wealth Funds, their influence on financial markets, and their investment strategies. He has written extensively on the political sensitivities that SWFs stirred in Western