SWF Radar GovernmentPensionFundGlobal

Thomson Reuters reports that, “Norway’s $400 billion sovereign wealth fund [the Government Pension Fund-Global] will be worth around $600 billion by 2011 and around $1 trillion by 2020, a senior Norwegian finance ministry official forecast on Wednesday.”

Aftenposten reports that, “[The Norwegian Government Pension Fund–Global’s] chief Yngve Slyngstad said Tuesday that the fund’s total Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac exposure amounts to about NOK 88 billion (USD 16.36 billion).”

It quotes Slyngstad as saying that, “Eighty-eight billion (crowns) is relatively little in relation to other central banks, but it is that big because we consider this the second most secure investment in the United States.”

Thomson Reuters reports that, “Oil-rich Norway is pushing ahead with plans to use part of its $400 billion sovereign wealth fund to invest in renewable energy development, a deputy finance minister said on Monday.”

The Observer reports that, “Helical Bar, the quoted commercial property firm, is in exploratory talks with the cash-rich Norwegian sovereign wealth fund [the Government Pension Fund-Global] in a move that could lead to a takeover of the company.”

Thomson Reuters writes that, “Soaring fuel and mortgage costs are squeezing Norwegians’ wallets and stoking debate whether Norway should spend more of its record oil and gas windfall instead of investing it abroad.”

The Financial Times reports that, “The ethical policies of the Norwegian Government Pension Fund - Global may be cited as the ‘gold standard’ abroad, but the fund has no intention of resting on its laurels. As the government begins its review of the NKr2,053.1bn (€255bn, $400bn, £203bn) fund’s already robust ethical guidelines, it is seeking advice from all over the world.”

Forbes reports that, “[Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global] is… the fund with the biggest investments in the Paris CAC 40 benchmark index, according to a new survey sponsored by French daily Les Echos.”

Thomson Reuters has published a factbox on the biggest sovereign wealth funds of them all.

Strangely, while it mentions – alongside the usual suspects – the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA), which rarely makes SWF-related news, it does not list China’s State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE), the overseer of China’s unimaginably large foreign exchange reserves, which often does.

Thomson Reuters reports that, “Norway’s almost $400 billion sovereign wealth fund wants to increase its exposure to emerging markets and Asia as it aims for a long-term real return of 4 percent a year, said a finance ministry official on Tuesday.”

ArabianBusiness.com reports that, “Norway's $400 billion sovereign wealth fund [the Government Pension Fund - Global] will target investment in emerging markets including Egypt as soaring oil prices help it grow by $1 billion a week, a senior executive told Arabian Business on Monday.”