2008-09-08 17:02:02 -

www.researchandmarkets.com - Research and Markets (www.researchandmarkets.com/research/29c59f/infrastructure_fun) has announced the addition of the "Infrastructure Funds: A Primer for Wealth Managers" report to their offering.

This brief answers the question whether these funds should be marketed more heavily by wealth and asset managers.

Scope

- Assesses current infrastructure needs in selected countries, demonstrating

increasing demand for privately funded investment

- Discusses Public Private Partnerships in the UK, Ireland and Australia

- Outlines the growth in the number of infrastructure funds in Australia and Europe

- Presents results of the Datamonitor Management Market Leaders Survey to assess demand from HNWs for these funds in Europe and Asia-Pacific

Highlights of this title

Historically, governments have paid for infrastructure projects through public-financing structures. However, the scale of infrastructure development needed in many countries, combined with government budget deficits, stiff competition for government resources, and reluctance to raise taxes means that there are insufficient resources available.

While an increase in infrastructure funds should be a boon to investors looking for opportunities in this sector, these investments could become the victim of their own success. Pension funds, which are increasing their exposure to infrastructure investments, compete with the funds for the assets.

Although infrastructure funds have less business potential among German and French HNWs than they do in, for example, the UK, they do still hold some potential in those countries. This is why a quarter of German and French wealth managers expect to focus their resources on this asset class.

Key reasons to purchase this title

- Learn how much business potential Wealth Managers across 8 European countries/regions think infrastructure funds hold for HNW clients

- See the size of Public Private Partnership investment in infrastructure projects in the UK, Australia and Ireland

- Provides Relationship Managers with a top level view of infrastructure funds to assess whether they are a suitable asset class for their clients

Key Topics Covered:

CATALYST

SUMMARY

ANALYSIS

Orientation of the brief

There is a growing need for investment in infrastructure projects, and new ways to fulfill this need

Worldwide investment in infrastructure projects exceeds $1.9 trillion annually

Infrastructure funding needs are considerable, particularly in the emerging markets

Historically, funding came exclusively from governments, but private funding is increasing, creating a new asset class for private investors

More than $68 billion in public/private partnership infrastructure deals worldwide were generated in 2005-6 alone, and the outstanding market exceeds $400 billion

The UK has more than $111 billion in public/private partnerships

Ireland is among the country leaders in using PPPs to fund infrastructure projects

Australias private infrastructure investment market was boosted by superannuation reforms of the 1980s and 1990s

There is an increasing supply of infrastructure funds, but this may not be good for investors

Australia is a market leader in the launch of infrastructure funds

Today, Europe's investors have at least 44 infrastructure funds to choose from

Stiff competition today for infrastructure assets is narrowing the opportunities for profitable investment

Infrastructure funds generally are best suited to institutional investors

The very long-term nature of infrastructure asset funds means that life companies and pension funds are the most suitable investors

There is, however, interest from European HNWs, which wealth managers are focusing on

Conclusion

APPENDIX

Definitions

Public Private Partnership (PPP)

Private Finance Initiative (PFI)

Methodology

Further reading

1OECD (2006) Infrastructure to 2030.

2Risk Australia (2007) Rush for assets.

Ask the analyst

Disclaimer

List of Tables

Table 1: Global annual average infrastructure spending, 2000-203

List of Figures

Figure 1: Telecoms and water infrastructure projects account for three quarters of annual spending, annual average from 2000-201

Figure 2: Europe dominates the PPP infrastructure market, 200

Figure 3: Innisfree is the largest PFI investor in the UK, 2004-

Figure 4: Transport will form Irelands largest PPP infrastructure sector in 2009-1

Figure 5: Listed infrastructure funds have grown dramatically on the ASX

Figure 6: Most infrastructure funds for sale in Europe are "equity funds"

Figure 7: Investors in Austria, Germany and Luxembourg have the widest range of infrastructure funds available to them

Figure 8: Infrastructure funds have a lot of business potential among HNWs in the UK and Nordic region

Figure 9: British, French, German and Nordic wealth managers plan to focus resources on infrastructure funds in the next two years

Figure 10: Infrastructure funds have the most business potential among Chinese and Taiwanese HNWs

Figure 11: Despite strong business potential among HNWs, Taiwanese wealth managers will not be focusing resources on this sector in the next two years

For more information visit www.researchandmarkets.com/research/29c59f/infrastructure_fun

Source: Datamonitor

Research and Markets
Laura Wood, Senior Manager
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