Asset Allocation & Fund Positioning, Copley Fund Research

Steven Holden

Asset Allocation & Fund Positioning

Copley Fund Research

Copley Fund Research provide research and data on asset allocation among Global and Emerging Market equity funds.  The analysis details absolute and relative positioning across countries, sectors and industries together with highly granular data on single stock and single fund allocations.  The data is updated monthly with time series going back to January 2011.

Global Research - Analysis of 165 prominent Global equity funds, combined AUM $335bn
GEM Research - Analysis of 127 prominent global EM equity funds, combined AUM $250bn

Asset Allocation - Global and GEM Equity

Cross Asset Strategy

<ul>
<li>68.2% of global equity funds are positioned ahead of the benchmark in France, with an average overweight of 2%, making it the second largest country overweight after the UK.</li>
<li>France is currently the second largest country overweight after the UK, effectively offsetting some of the underweights in the USA, China &amp; Hong Kong, and Australia.</li>
<li>Overweights driven by by Schneider Electric, L'Oreal, and LVMH, whilst Pernod Ricard and Sanofi see investor outflows.</li>
</ul>


68.2% of global equity funds are positioned ahead of the benchmark in France, with an average overweight of 2%, making it the second largest country overweight after the UK.
France is currently the second largest country overweight after the UK, effectively offsetting some of the underweights in the USA, China &amp; Hong Kong, and Australia.
Overweights driven by by Schneider Electric, L'Oreal, and LVMH, whilst Pernod Ricard and Sanofi see investor outflows.


France:  Global Funds Overweight Ahead of Snap Election

<ul>
<li>Global equity funds are heavily overweight in UK stock heading in to the election on July 4th.</li>
<li>Compared to the SPDRs MSCI ACWI ETF benchmark, UK allocations are at a record overweight of +2.64%, with 69% of investors positioned ahead of the benchmark.</li>
<li>All sectors in the UK are held net overweight, led by Industrials and Consumer Staples. Key stocks like AstraZeneca, Linde, and Unilever are among the most widely held.</li>
</ul>


Global equity funds are heavily overweight in UK stock heading in to the election on July 4th.
Compared to the SPDRs MSCI ACWI ETF benchmark, UK allocations are at a record overweight of +2.64%, with 69% of investors positioned ahead of the benchmark.
All sectors in the UK are held net overweight, led by Industrials and Consumer Staples. Key stocks like AstraZeneca, Linde, and Unilever are among the most widely held.


United Kingdom:  Record Overweights in Run Up to Election

<ul>
<li>The average Indian allocation among active GEM funds broke through the 15% barrier at the start of 2024, despite an increasing underweight versus the benchmark index.</li>
<li>Valuation-Driven Underweight: The average weight versus the iShares MSCI EM ETF hit record underweights of -2.44%, with only 27.6% of funds positioned overweight. EM Value funds hit record -8.7% underweight.</li>
<li>HDFC Bank is the most widely held stock, owned by 60.5% of funds, while a majority of Indian names, such as Reliance Industries, are underweighted by active GEM funds.</li>
</ul>


The average Indian allocation among active GEM funds broke through the 15% barrier at the start of 2024, despite an increasing underweight versus the benchmark index.
Valuation-Driven Underweight: The average weight versus the iShares MSCI EM ETF hit record underweights of -2.44%, with only 27.6% of funds positioned overweight. EM Value funds hit record -8.7% underweight.
HDFC Bank is the most widely held stock, owned by 60.5% of funds, while a majority of Indian names, such as Reliance Industries, are underweighted by active GEM funds.


India:  Record Exposure Gives Rise to Caution

<ul>
<li>Mexico has seen increased inflows and exposure over the past 3-4 years, with funds invested reaching an all-time high of 94.6% and average holding weights climbing to 3.93%.</li>
<li>The percentage of active EM funds overweight the benchmark rose from 20% in 2011 to over 69% last month, making Mexico the largest overweight compared country peers.</li>
<li>Grupo Financiero Banorte and Wal-Mart de Mexico are key contributors to the net Mexican overweight, with Banorte seeing increased exposure of +4.26% of funds in the last 6 months</li>
</ul>


Mexico has seen increased inflows and exposure over the past 3-4 years, with funds invested reaching an all-time high of 94.6% and average holding weights climbing to 3.93%.
The percentage of active EM funds overweight the benchmark rose from 20% in 2011 to over 69% last month, making Mexico the largest overweight compared country peers.
Grupo Financiero Banorte and Wal-Mart de Mexico are key contributors to the net Mexican overweight, with Banorte seeing increased exposure of +4.26% of funds in the last 6 months


Mexico: GEM Funds Wrong-Footed After Election Results.

<ul>
<li>Record Low Allocations: Real Estate holdings in active China equity funds have plummeted to a new low of 2.51%, with only 76.4% of funds maintaining any position.</li>
<li>Recent Fund Rotation: Closures by key investors and a downturn in ownership metrics since October last year highlight the sector’s declining appeal.</li>
<li>KE Holdings Exception: Amidst the decline, KE Holdings (2423 HK) stands out, achieving an all-time high in fund ownership.</li>
</ul>


Record Low Allocations: Real Estate holdings in active China equity funds have plummeted to a new low of 2.51%, with only 76.4% of funds maintaining any position.
Recent Fund Rotation: Closures by key investors and a downturn in ownership metrics since October last year highlight the sector’s declining appeal.
KE Holdings Exception: Amidst the decline, KE Holdings (2423 HK) stands out, achieving an all-time high in fund ownership.


China Real Estate: Continued Fund Rotation Drives New Lows