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State Investors Back Transportation Leasing for Steady Returns and Value-Add Opportunities

26th July, 2024

An investment of more than US$600 million in US trailer lessor Transportation Equipment Network (TEN) by Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala and the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) is the latest development in sovereign investor involvement in the transportation leasing sector.

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IMF Demands Pakistan Scraps SWF as a Condition for Support

11th July, 2024

Governance concerns have reportedly prompted the IMF to demand the abolition of the Pakistan Sovereign Wealth Fund as a condition for any new financial bailouts, in what is the biggest challenge to the country’s bid to create a state-owned investor.

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Japan: Cheap Yen, Inflation, Bull Market and Real Estate Entice SWFs

19th June, 2024

Sovereign wealth fund interest in Japan is modest compared to economies of a similar size and diversity, but this could all change with Asian and Middle Eastern funds showing increasing interest.

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Ardian Engages PIF and QIA in Aviation Investments

14th June, 2024

Private equity group Ardian is combining forces with Qatari and Saudi sovereign wealth funds in two separate major European transactions in the aviation sector, demonstrating an ongoing strategy to work closely with state-owned investors and combine their capital strengths.

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Bahrain and Qatar SWFs Foster Closer China Links as Gulf Replaces Western Capital

5th June, 2024

*Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat may be a minnow compared to its Saudi, Emirati and Qatari peers, but is swimming towards stronger currents of capital with an agreement forged with the China Investment Corporation (CIC).

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QIA Joins Peers in Semiconductor Industry

23rd May, 2024

The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) is playing catch-up with its Saudi and Emirati peers with a major investment in semiconductors as the global market seeks to diversify production following the chip shortage of 2020-23.

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Bpifrance Forges Deals with KIA, QIA and Mubadala for French Startups

13th May, 2024

France’s strategic investor Bpifrance has strengthened its relationships with Gulf peers with a series of agreements with sovereign wealth funds of Kuwait, Qatar and Abu Dhabi committing capital to French startups.

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Championing Consolidation: Gulf SWFs Create Global TowerCo Giants

25th April, 2024

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has forged a joint venture deal with the Kingdom’s telecoms company STC which sees it acquire a 51% stake in Telecommunication Towers Company Limited (TAWAL), which is set to form the basis of the Middle East’s biggest telecommunications infrastructure company – and a global player.

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GCC Surpluses Highly Dependent on Oil Prices – and Geopolitics

19th April, 2024

On Thursday this week, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) published its latest fiscal oil price breakeven in the statistical appendix of its Middle East overview. These are important figures, as they reflect the fiscal situation of the countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), when compared to current oil prices.

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Sovereign-Backed UK Water Utility Faces Nationalization Amid Crisis

28th March, 2024

The UK’s biggest water utility, Thames Water, which is two-thirds owned by state-owned investors, looks set to be renationalized – at least temporarily – after its shareholders refused to throw it a financial lifeline.

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Abu Dhabi and France SWFs Firm Up African Tech VC Commitments

7th March, 2024

Sub-Saharan Africa is the final frontier for state-owned investors (SOIs), offering potential large rewards – but also significant challenges. For patient investors capable of honing in on good deals, the region offers significant long-term returns that could generate big yields, as well as demonstrating their commitment to sustainable development goals.

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PIF Forges Bahrain Alliance, While Qatar’s QIA Explores Central Asia

5th March, 2024

Gulf states have tended to use soft power to gain geopolitical influence via economic and cultural relations, particularly in the MENA and Central Asian regions. The cold war within the GCC has subsided with a deal between Doha and a Saudi-led alliance over Qatar’s alleged closeness to the Muslim Brotherhood. Yet, rivalries are still heated and they are vying for regional influence and at a time of heightened geopolitical sensitivities, with this week seeing Saudi Arabia cement its ties with Bahrain via their sovereign funds while Qatar's QIA is deepening its exposure to Uzbekistan.

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