Traders Ignore S&P Decision to Cut Netherlands Credit Rating

The Netherlands lost its top rating at Standard & Poor’s amid weakening economic growth prospects while Spain’s outlook was raised, decisions that were largely ignored by bond investors.

Venezuela central bank denies transactions with Wall St

Nov 28 (Reuters) - Venezuela's central bank president denied on Thursday that Caracas is carrying out any transactions with Wall Street banks, a day after a senior government source said it was evaluating a swap agreement involving its gold reserves.

Goldman Sachs to GLG Open Asia Hedge Funds as Big Is Chic

Global banks and asset managers are opening hedge funds in Asia for the first time since the 2008 financial crisis, putting pressure on smaller firms that are already struggling to hold onto investors.

Independent Scotland would create oil and gas wealth fund

Nov 26 (Reuters) - An independent Scottish government would create a sovereign wealth fund using revenue from exploiting oil and gas reserves worth around 1.5 trillion pounds ($2.4 trillion), the Sottish government said in an independence blueprint on Tuesday.

U.S. pending home sales hit 10-month low in October

(Reuters) - Contracts to buy previously owned U.S. homes fell for a fifth straight month in October, hitting a 10-month low and adding to signs of cooling in the housing market.

Norway wealth fund, Och-Ziff among investors in Cinda IPO-sources

Nov 24 (Reuters) - A group of 10 investors, including Norway's sovereign wealth fund and Och-Ziff Capital Management Group LLC, have together committed to buy about $1.1 billion into China Cinda Asset Management Corp as part of its Hong Kong IPO, people familiar with the matter said on Sunday.

US markets hit historical highs: Are stock prices really at record levels?

The stock market flirted with historical highs this week, with the Dow Jones industrial average trading higher than 16,000 and the Standard & Poor's 500 exceeding 1,800 for a time.

UK public finances improve in October as economy grows

The UK's public finances improved in October, as a recovering economy and housing market boosted tax revenues.

Japan Pension Fund Urged to Diversify as Independent Body

Japan’s 121 trillion yen ($1.21 trillion) pension fund needs more independence from bureaucrats and should put some of the world’s biggest retirement savings pool into private equity and commodities, an expert panel said.

GIC, Ascendas to Invest Up to S$600 Million in Indian Property

GIC Pte, Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, and Ascendas Pte plan to invest as much as S$600 million ($483 million) in Indian real estate to meet rising demand for commercial property.

Temasek's Africa Investment A Sign Of The Future For Sovereign Wealth Funds

Last week Temasek, one of Singapore’s two sovereign wealth funds, made a $1.3 billion investment in a liquified natural gas block in Tanzania.

Economy offers little cheer ahead of holidays

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — The U.S. economy remains stuck on slow-revolving merry-go-round that won’t bring much mirth ahead of the holiday season.

Why Yale, Harvard And Sovereign Funds Are Changing Their Views On Alternative Assets

You would call them the smartest guys in the room, had Enron not ruined the term for at least a generation.

Japan’s Biggest Banks See Profit Declining in Second Half

Japan’s three biggest banks reported a surge in first-half profits this week that they said means the year will turn out better than expected.

Singapore-based GIC said to invest in Time Warner Center

(Bloomberg) -- GIC Pte, Singapore's sovereign wealth fund, is part of a group that is buying the headquarters of Time Warner Inc. in New York City, according to one person with direct knowledge of the transaction.

London’s Mayor Sees More Kuwait Investment in Developments

Kuwait is interested in investing in London real estate projects after focusing on completed properties for several years, Boris Johnson, the city’s mayor, said after meeting with members of the Kuwait Investment Authority.

Norway's $800 bln fund should lose independent ethics panel -report

OSLO, Nov 11 (Reuters) - The ethics panel that decides which firms Norway's $800-billion wealth fund should avoid should lose its independence and become part of the central bank, a report said, a shift critics said would undermine the fund's ethical strategy.

China to let private investors hold up to 15% in state firms: Report

SHANGHAI: China will allow private investors to buy up to 15 percent stakes in state-own enterprises (SOEs), the official China Daily reported, as Beijing moves to leverage private funds to avoid having to bail out heavily indebted state owned firms.

US businesses boost hiring despite the shutdown

WASHINGTON: Employers added a surprisingly strong 204,000 jobs in October despite the 16-day government shutdown, the Labor Department said, suggesting the US economy may be sturdier than many had assumed.

Fraudsters target BBC reporter in investment scam

Police have launched an investigation into a gang selling fake gold investments after they were exposed by the BBC.

Gold miner Amara taps Amway family wealth to boost prospects

LONDON (Reuters) - African gold miner Amara Mining has sold roughly a fifth of its shares to a wealth management firm investing on behalf of one of America's richest families, in a deal that will bring in cash, a drilling firm, and exploration licenses.

Latin America: A New Frontier for ETF Industry Growth

Exchange traded funds providers may have found a new region in which to shop their wares: Latin America and it is not even the region’s largest economies, Brazil or Mexico, that is really helping facilitate ETF growth there.

NIESR: UK interest rates could rise in 2015

The Bank of England could raise interest rates as soon as 2015, the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) has said.

Hong Kong investor Knight Dragon takes full control of UK property scheme for $296 million

LONDON: Hong Kong investor Knight Dragon has taken full ownership of a development in east London's Greenwich Peninsula after paying its British partner Quintain Estates 186 million pounds ($296 million) for its 40 per cent stake.

Citigroup Favors Debt as Real Yield Lures Western: Korea Markets

The highest inflation-adjusted yield among Asia’s biggest economies is attracting Citigroup Inc. and Western Asset Management Co. to South Korea’s sovereign bonds.

Green bonds usher in a new era of environmental finance, TD Economics

TORONTO , Nov. 1, 2013 /CNW/ - Green bonds are emerging as a frontrunner to fund environmental investment and have garnered a considerable amount of attention from both investors and environmentalists, states TD Economics in a special report released today.

Wealth Fund Cautions Against Costs Exacted by High-Speed Trading

Despite being one of the largest single investors in the world, Norway’s sovereign wealth fund rarely makes waves.

No shutdown in U.S. Midwest as business activity index surges

(Reuters) - Business activity in the U.S. Midwest surged past expectations in October as new orders hit their highest level since 2004, countering recent evidence of soft economic growth.