Institutional investors in Germany : insurance companies and investment funds

This chapter focuses on institutional investors in the German financial markets. Institutional investors are specialized financial intermediaries who collect and manage funds on behalf of small investors toward specific objectives in terms of risk, return and maturity. The major types of institutional investors in Germany are insurance companies and investment funds. We will examine the nature of their businesses, their size and role in the financial sector, the size and the composition of the assets under their management, aspects of financ ial regulation, and features of their asset-liability-management

What Caused the Recent Surge of FDI into Japan?

In recent years, foreign direct investment (FDI) in Japan has jumped to unprecedented levels. This paper examines the underlying reasons, looking at both the international factors - the global boom in FDI and mergers & acquisitions(M&A) during 1998-2000 - and domestic regulatory, structural and other changes. It is argued that while domestic changes created the necessary conditions for Japan to participate in the global M&A boom, FDI inflows failed to develop a momentum of their own. Thus, rather than the result of a sudden transformation of the country into a major destination for global FDI flows, the recent surge in Japan was primarily driven by global trends.

Risk and return of open-end real estate funds : the German case

Open-end real estate funds (so called “Offene Immobilienfonds”) play a major role in the German market for securitised real estate investments. Such funds are pools of money from many investors, which are invested in real estate by special investment management companies. This study seeks to identify the risk and return profile of this investment vehicle (before and after income taxes), to compare them with those of other major asset classes, and to provide implications for their appropriate role in a mixed-asset portfolio. Addition-ally, an overview of the institutional architecture and role of German open-end real estate funds is given. Empirical evidence suggests that the financial characteristics of open-end real estate funds are in many respects similar to those reported for direct real estate invest-ments. Accordingly, German open-end real estate funds qualify for medium and long-term investment horizons, rather than for shorter holding periods

Implementation of Directive 2004/39/EC on Markets in financial instruments (Repealing Directive 93/22/EEC on Investment services in the securities field) in Lithuania

This dissertation explores the implementation of the EU Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) in Lithuania and identifies its impact on the Lithuanian market

Sequencing of Capital Account Liberalization - Japan's experiences and their implications to China

This paper reviews Japan's experiences with the liberalization of capital accounts, and tries to identify their implications to China. Liberalization of capital accounts proceeded very gradually in Japan from the adoption of a system of general prohibition of foreign exchange and capital transactions in 1949 through the shift to a generally liberalized system in 1979. Meantime, Japan was exposed to the turbulent international financial markets due to the move from a peg to a float system of its currency and two oil crises. In response to the massive short-term capital flow in and out of the country caused by these shocks, Japan, which was generally headed for the liberalization of the capital accounts, was frequently forced to resort to foreign exchange and capital control measures to stabilize the market. These experiences by Japan seems to give valuable implications to China, for which significant enhancement of the flexibility of its exchange rate movement under the recently revised formal exchange rate regime and the liberalization of capital accounts continue to be important policy agenda in the years to come.liberalization, capital accounts, peg, float system, Japan, China

Doing Business in Japan

[Excerpt] The purpose of this publication is to provide foreign investors with a broad overview of the legal framework within which business is conducted in Japan. This publication deals primarily with: • The regulation of foreign investment in Japan, including the Japanese Government’s policy on foreign investment; • The legal structures available for investors in Japan; • The tax system imposed by the national and prefectural governments; and • The general system of business regulation applicable in Japan. This publication has been prepared by Baker & McKenzie GJBJ / Tokyo Aoyama Aoki Law Office as a general guide for those persons or corporations considering making an investment in Japan. Before specific investment is made, however, consideration should be given to specific laws and regulations that may affect the investment decision

Financial Contagion under Different Exchange Rate Regimes

This paper reviews the contagion effects of the global financial crises of 1997-99 on five small open economies: the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Israel and Poland. We analyze how the financial markets of these countries were effected under different exchange rate regimes. We look at the impact on exchange rates, interest rates and stock markets. In order to shed some light on the behavior of financial asset holders at times of global crises, we examine the sources of capital flows in Hungary for which country we were able to gather the detailed data necessary for such an analysis. Based on our findings, we offer some concluding remarks regarding the choice of exchange rate regime and the role of capital controls.

Toward a process theory of entrepreneurship: revisiting opportunity identification and entrepreneurial actions

This dissertation studies the early development of new ventures and small business and the entrepreneurship process from initial ideas to viable ventures. I unpack the micro-foundations of entrepreneurial actions and new ventures’ investor communications through quality signals to finance their growth path. This dissertation includes two qualitative papers and one quantitative study. The qualitative papers employ an inductive multiple-case approach and include seven medical equipment manufacturers (new ventures) in a nascent market context (the mobile health industry) across six U.S. states and a secondary data analysis to understand the emergence of opportunities and the early development of new ventures. The quantitative research chapter includes 770 IPOs in the manufacturing industries in the U.S. and investigates the legitimation strategies of young ventures to gain resources from targeted resource-holders.Open Acces