State Funds Focus on Alternative Assets, Ex-KIC Official Says – Bloomberg 10-18-12

Salient to Investors: Investors are growing wary of publicly traded securities as interest rate cuts at central banks helped inject liquidity into markets, bolstering bonds and stocks. Scott Kalb at KLTI Advisors said: Sovereign wealth funds are increasing their allocations to alternatives Institutional investors are focusing on hedge funds and private

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Warburg Hunts Stakes for World Cup Buildup: Corporate Brazil – Bloomberg 10-16-12

Salient to Investors: Luca Molinari at Warburg Pincus is targeting infrastructure service providers in Brazil which will grow significantly in the coming years. BTG Pactual Participations and Carlyle Group also seek to profit from investments needed to upgrade Brazil’s infrastructure for the World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympic Games. Eduardo Centola at Banco

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Euro Gains Beyond $1.30 on Speculation Spain Will Request Aid – Bloomberg 10-16-12

Salient to Investors: The ZEW Center for European Economic Research  index of investor and analyst expectations rose to minus 11.5 from minus 18.2 in September. Neil Jones at Mizuho Corporate Bank said the better the chances of a bailout for Spain, the more risk-on that is – the market is not prepared for the upside or

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Goldman’s Cohn Sees ‘Small’ Chance Euro Area Will Stick Together – Bloomberg 10-11-12

Salient to Investors: Gary Cohn at Goldman Sachs says: There is a small probability that the euro area will stick together, and it’s more likely that some countries will exit to pursue growth. The ECB program hasn’t addressed the lack of growth – Europe still needs a “Lehman moment”.   Southern Europe has no

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China Economy to Improve After Leadership Change, BlackRock Says – Bloomberg 10-10-12

Salient to Investors: Mark McCombe at BlackRock said China’s economic growth is poised to recover after once-in-a-decade leadership transition, and boost stock markets . The focus on consumption will benefit health-care and education stocks. BlackRock and Citigroup say policies to boost China’s growth will be clearer after the leadership change. Other analysts. Chen Ruiming at Haitong Securities

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Australians World’s Wealthiest on Housing, Credit Suisse Says – Bloomberg 10-10-12

Salient to Investors: Credit Suisse said: Australians have a median wealth per adult of $193,653, the world’s highest.  median worth The Asia-Pacific region topped Europe as the largest wealth-holding region Australia’s proportion of individuals with wealth above $100,000 is the most of any country and eight times the world average

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