Nobody wants to be in charge of spending $500 billion in China’s sovereign wealth fund

Running China’s main sovereign wealth fund is a powerful job that a series of powerful leaders and executives don’t seem to want.

China Fund, VTB Capital Invest in Kerimov’s Uralkali

Billionaire Suleiman Kerimov and his partners in OAO Uralkali (URKA), the largest potash producer, sold bonds to China’s sovereign wealth fund and VTB Capital that can be exchanged for shares valued at about $3.2 billion.

China’s CIC Has Worst Overseas Performance in 2011 Amid Slowdown

China’s sovereign wealth fund posted a 4.3 percent loss on its overseas investments last year as declines in global commodity prices roiled the value of its resources-heavy portfoli.

China’s Sovereign Fund May Give ‘Indirect’ Support to Europe

Nov. 25 (Bloomberg) -- China’s sovereign wealth fund may give “indirect” support to Europe through investments without being the nation’s main route for any aid, said Jesse Wang, the executive vice president of China Investment Corp.

China’s Sovereign Wealth Fund Tries to Bolster Stocks of Major Banks

HONG KONG — Trying to stem a steep decline in the stock prices of China’s four main banks, the nation’s sovereign wealth fund started buying their shares Monday and plans to buy more in the coming year.

That word, disclosed by the banks late in Monday’s trading session, helped their share prices rebound somewhat on the Hong Kong stock exchange.

GDF Suez Nears $4 Billion Deal With Chinese Sovereign Wealth Fund

PARIS — The French utility GDF Suez and China’s sovereign wealth fund said Wednesday that they were in exclusive talks to seal a $4 billion alliance that would help GDF finance its expansion in Asia and offer Beijing access to new energy resources.

GDF outlined the details of the partnership, its second large deal in a year, after the purchase of 70 percent of International Power, as it reported earnings for the first half of 2011 that beat forecasts.

China’s Sovereign Wealth Fund Earns 11.7% Return In 2010

China’s $400 billion sovereign wealth fund garnered 11.7% in 2010 on its overseas investments, which included a 21% allocation to alternative investments.

The Chinese Investment Corporation’s total assets reached $409.58 billion at the end of 2010, meaning it’s doubled since its inception in 2007 and even increased significantly from 2009, when it was worth $332.39 billion.