The actual size of the Middle East wealth management market is not very large; however, the opportunity it provides is significant, writes Celine Salloum, Research Associate at Zawya.
What began largely as an act of frustration and defiance by one man in Tunisia has unleashed decades of pent-up frustrations that have begun to reshape a key region of the world. In a region that stretches from Morocco to Kuwait and covers terrain from mountains to desert, the range of economic activity in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is as varied as the geography. For the past several months, we've been bombarded with news about unrest in the MENA. The events in early 2011 that led to regime changes in Tunisia, Libya and Egypt and the ongoing challenges in Bahrain, Syria and Yemen have affected the short-term macroeconomic outlook as well as the status and speed of economic reform.
The actual size of the Middle East wealth management market is not very large; however, the opportunity it provides is significant. After the first three quarters of 2011 comes an important start for the fourth quarter of the year, with October determining whether 2011 ends positively or negatively.
At the fifth Annual Mena Investment Management Forum in Doha at the start of October, top executives called on governments in the Middle East to unify their regulations governing the financial services industry because the fragmented regulatory framework is hindering the growth of the asset management industry in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The GCC bloc has a fairly small amount of assets under management, estimated at around USD 40 billion as of the end of 2Q-2011, according to Zawya Funds Monitor. But with rules varying from one nation to another, asset management companies tend to face obstacles when trying to introduce new products.
Most GCC equity funds ended October in the red zone, with Bahrain and UAE equity funds being the worst performers, losing 1.21% and 1.18%, respectively, since the end of September. They were followed by Oman, which lost 0.28%, and Qatar with a negative 0.02%. Saudi Arabia equity funds and Kuwait equity funds ended the month in the positive region, gaining 0.25% and 1.58%, respectively.
On the last trading day, October 31, 2011, the Dubai Financial Market's General Index fell 1.65% from the previous month, but Dubai is still attracting foreign investment. This has enabled the benchmark to get past the 1,400 points barrier. The index closed at 1,408.06 points.
Qatar is a promising market for investment as almost 90% of the companies listed there are paying out dividends to their shareholders. Qatar Exchange ended October 2.39% higher at 8,594.86 points.
Kuwait, the second largest regional market in terms of market capitalization after Saudi Arabia, remains the subject of debate. Kuwait Stock Exchange ended 1.48% up at 5,919.60 points. Oman's Muscat Securities Market dropped 0.26% to 5,587.96 points. And Bahrain's All Share Index closed at 1,147.66 points, a decline of 1.55% from September's close.
The most liquid market by trading volume is Saudi Arabia and access is also easier due to fewer restrictions on foreign ownership through mutual funds, exchange traded funds (ETFs) and swaps. Saudi Arabia's Tadawul All Share Index increased 1.83% to 6,224.30 points.
Despite the turbulence that swept the MENA region, the GCC states still offer great potential for growth in investment funds. The weak performance of these funds is not an indicator of future trends, industry leaders said at the Doha conference. They are optimistic that the commercial opportunity for wealth managers will grow, particularly if governments in the region take steps to promote the development of regional asset management firms.
Investors need to engage in a due diligence evaluation that is appropriate and effective in light of their risk tolerance. Checking references, researching a fund's key service providers, verifying factual information using independent sources, and following-up with the asset management company on data or information should become standard practice. While the initial due diligence serves to qualify a fund as a desirable investment, the ongoing monitoring process continually reaffirms that the assumptions used in the initial selection remain valid.
The volatility in the market, combined with the recent turmoil, has brought investment practices into the limelight and caused increased requirements for heightened transparency, risk management and compliance. With due diligence sharpened around investment processes and services, investors expect managers to rise above market fluctuations, adapt, and evolve their processes to ensure they are adjusting to regulatory changes and challenges.
The preferred way to go about making an investment decision relies on several criteria - such as the investment manager's profile, investment appetite, fees, transparency and disclosure. Transparency, along with proper due diligence, should be the cornerstone of multilateral efforts enhancing investment.
What began largely as an act of frustration and defiance by one man in Tunisia has unleashed decades of pent-up frustrations that have begun to reshape a key region of the world. In a region that stretches from Morocco to Kuwait and covers terrain from mountains to desert, the range of economic activity in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is as varied as the geography. For the past several months, we've been bombarded with news about unrest in the MENA. The events in early 2011 that led to regime changes in Tunisia, Libya and Egypt and the ongoing challenges in Bahrain, Syria and Yemen have affected the short-term macroeconomic outlook as well as the status and speed of economic reform.
The actual size of the Middle East wealth management market is not very large; however, the opportunity it provides is significant. After the first three quarters of 2011 comes an important start for the fourth quarter of the year, with October determining whether 2011 ends positively or negatively.
At the fifth Annual Mena Investment Management Forum in Doha at the start of October, top executives called on governments in the Middle East to unify their regulations governing the financial services industry because the fragmented regulatory framework is hindering the growth of the asset management industry in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The GCC bloc has a fairly small amount of assets under management, estimated at around USD 40 billion as of the end of 2Q-2011, according to Zawya Funds Monitor. But with rules varying from one nation to another, asset management companies tend to face obstacles when trying to introduce new products.
Most GCC equity funds ended October in the red zone, with Bahrain and UAE equity funds being the worst performers, losing 1.21% and 1.18%, respectively, since the end of September. They were followed by Oman, which lost 0.28%, and Qatar with a negative 0.02%. Saudi Arabia equity funds and Kuwait equity funds ended the month in the positive region, gaining 0.25% and 1.58%, respectively.
On the last trading day, October 31, 2011, the Dubai Financial Market's General Index fell 1.65% from the previous month, but Dubai is still attracting foreign investment. This has enabled the benchmark to get past the 1,400 points barrier. The index closed at 1,408.06 points.
Qatar is a promising market for investment as almost 90% of the companies listed there are paying out dividends to their shareholders. Qatar Exchange ended October 2.39% higher at 8,594.86 points.
Kuwait, the second largest regional market in terms of market capitalization after Saudi Arabia, remains the subject of debate. Kuwait Stock Exchange ended 1.48% up at 5,919.60 points. Oman's Muscat Securities Market dropped 0.26% to 5,587.96 points. And Bahrain's All Share Index closed at 1,147.66 points, a decline of 1.55% from September's close.
The most liquid market by trading volume is Saudi Arabia and access is also easier due to fewer restrictions on foreign ownership through mutual funds, exchange traded funds (ETFs) and swaps. Saudi Arabia's Tadawul All Share Index increased 1.83% to 6,224.30 points.
Despite the turbulence that swept the MENA region, the GCC states still offer great potential for growth in investment funds. The weak performance of these funds is not an indicator of future trends, industry leaders said at the Doha conference. They are optimistic that the commercial opportunity for wealth managers will grow, particularly if governments in the region take steps to promote the development of regional asset management firms.
Investors need to engage in a due diligence evaluation that is appropriate and effective in light of their risk tolerance. Checking references, researching a fund's key service providers, verifying factual information using independent sources, and following-up with the asset management company on data or information should become standard practice. While the initial due diligence serves to qualify a fund as a desirable investment, the ongoing monitoring process continually reaffirms that the assumptions used in the initial selection remain valid.
The preferred way to go about making an investment decision relies on several criteria - such as the investment manager's profile, investment appetite, fees, transparency and disclosure. Transparency, along with proper due diligence, should be the cornerstone of multilateral efforts enhancing investment.
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