Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 18th October 2016: Emirates NBD Asset Management today announced its collaboration with UTI International, one of India's largest money managers. The agreement aims to increase Emirates NBD Asset Management's global fund portfolio. The partnership's first fund will be the Emirates Islamic India Equity Fund, which will be managed by UTI and offer exposure to Shari'a compliant Indian equities. The agreement forms part of a strategy by Emirates NBD Asset Management to develop a portfolio of global funds with leading international partners. Among its current partners are Jupiter Asset Management, with whom the Company runs four different strategies. UTI International is the global arm of UTI Asset Management Company (India).
Speaking at the signing of the agreement, Mr. Tariq Bin Hendi, CEO, Emirates NBD Asset Management, said:
"Our agreement with UTI is part of an ongoing effort to extend our in-house product range. In so doing, we improve our offering to current and potential investors and demonstrate our commitment to innovation and performance. We have identified a number of factors that support our strategy to invest in Indian equities. Falling domestic inflation is boosting consumption and making financial savings more lucrative than physical savings in commodities such as gold. Lower domestic interest rates are likely to spur investment activity and consumption, reducing the cost of both borrowing and capital, driving profit growth and improving equity valuation. Lastly, bank credit growth appears to have bottomed out, putting India on the cusp of an upturn in the credit cycle and providing fuel for its equity market."
The rationale for the agreement is driven by Emirates NBD Asset Management's strong interest in India as a growth market for its overseas investment strategies. According to a McKinsey report, India's economy is expected to be among the world's top five by 2020 and to reach the top three by 2030. Demographically, India's young population implies a favorable working population ratio, leading to higher levels of saving and higher spending potential. This is expected to sustain investments and prolong a high rate of GDP growth. India's foreign exchange (FX) volatility is limited: the Indian Rupee has been a relative outperformer among emerging market currencies since 2015, while Indian FX reserves hit a record high of $363.5 billion in June 2016, providing a cushion during distressed periods.
Mr. Leo Puri, Managing Director, UTI Asset Management concluded:
"We're delighted to collaborate with the UAE's leading Asset Management firm on this exciting new project. India and the UAE have a long history of mutual trade and investment, and the new fund presents an excellent opportunity for GCC investors to realise strong returns on Shari'a compliant Indian equities. UTI is one of India's oldest and largest money managers with more than 10 million investors. Our deep understanding of the Indian business environment coupled with our research-driven investment process gives us a distinctive edge in managing Indian assets. Emirates NBD Asset Management has a superb team of fund managers, and we're looking forward to working closely with them to deliver strong returns."
The new fund will build on Emirates NBD Asset Management’s existing SICAV, an open-ended collective investment scheme common in Western Europe. The platform already includes the Emirates Emerging Market Corporate Absolute Return Fund, the Emirates Islamic Global Balanced Fund and the Emirates MENA Fixed Income Fund, among others.
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