Prices and Markets

Qatar fund to become Gulf Investment Fund - Qatar Investment Fund intends to change its investment policy from a largely Qatar-focused investment strategy to a broader Gulf Cooperation Council ("GCC") investment strategy. Currently, the investment policy enables it to invest up to 15% in GCC countries (namely Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman and Bahrain) other than Qatar. The proposed change in investment policy will remove the 15% limit and enable it to increase its investment allocation to other GCC countries and provide the Investment...

Shock figures released by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) show that Britain is £490 billion poorer than was thought. Britain’s stock of wealth has fallen from a surplus of of £469 billion to a net deficit of £22 billion. The UK has totally lost its reserve of foreign assets, and is actually in a much more vulnerable deficit, losing any safety margin just Theresa May’s government is attempting a breakthrough in a crucial stage of Brexit negotiations. This massive...

QuotedData investment companies roundup – October 2017 – is our latest roundup of news; price, NAV and discount movements; flows in and out of the sector and report on full year dividends announced over the month of September 2017. Kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford. October Investment Companies Roundup Amongst the top performers, Alternative Liquidity Fund sold its stake in an Indonesian resort and Syncona investment, NightstarX, listed on NASDAQ. Livermore’s discount narrowed as it released its interim results. Pantheon said it would...

QuotedData’s economic round up – October 2017 – is a collation of recent insights on markets and economies taken from the comments made by chairmen and investment managers of investment companies – have a read and make your own minds up. Please remember that nothing in this note is designed to encourage you to buy or sell any of the companies mentioned. Kindly sponsored by Martin Currie. October Economic and Political Roundup Roundup Sterling bounced against the US dollar during...

Foresight Solar investing in Queensland - Foresight Solar Fund Limited has entered into binding contracts with Canadian Solar Inc., to acquire three construction stage assets in Queensland, Australia, representing 117MW of peak capacity once installed. The assets are Longreach Solar Farm (17 MW), Oakey 1 Solar Farm (30 MW) and Oakey 2 Solar Farm (70 MW) with the fund acquiring 49% interests in each of Longreach and Oakey 1, and a 100% interest in Oakey 2. Foresight's share of the equity...

Civitas expands portfolio - Civitas Social Housing PLC has completed the purchase of two specialist supported living and residential care investments for a total consideration of £8.5 million, comprising the freehold interest in 5 properties, with 43 tenancies. The properties are immediately income generating with an initial net yield in line with the Company’s expectations and both were sourced off-market by the investment manager. Investment One Investment one was acquired for a total consideration of £3,900,000, comprising 17 tenancies within 1 property. The property...

Phenomenal year for TR European Growth shareholders - TR European Growth says that, for the year ended 30 June 2017, its net asset value total return was 54.0% compared to a total return from the benchmark index of 35.8%.  The share price total return was 75.5%. They are proposing an increased final dividend of 11.5p and also a 3p special dividend. They say that it is their intention to move towards paying an interim and a final dividend. Ollie Beckett (pictured) and...

Pacific Industrial buys nine logistics assets – Pacific Industrial & Logistics REIT has completed the off-market acquisition of a portfolio of 9 logistics assets for a total consideration of GBP45.5m. The purchase price represents a net initial yield of 7.3%. The deal has been financed from the proceeds of the recent placing, completion of which was announced on 16 August 2017. The remaining proceeds of the placing will be used, together with debt finance where appropriate, to fund acquisitions from...

Jupiter European sticking with Novo Nordisk - Jupiter European Opportunities says that, for the financial year to 31 May 2017, its total return on net assets was 30.5%, which compares with 35.7% for the benchmark. The total return on the shares was 30.6%. There is a 6.5p dividend. The manager says that the underperformance is partly explained by sector weightings - notably the overweight position in Healthcare, a sector which underperformed. The most significant detractor during the period under review was Novo Nordisk. Their US business...