Confusion over size of sovereign wealth funds | beyondbrics | FT.com

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As the world’s mightiest sovereign wealth funds wrapped up only their second annual meeting under the auspices of the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds in Sydney, confusion remained over how much capital these funds actually control.

The IFSWF’s precursor body unhelpfully estimated their combined size at anywhere between $2,000bn to $3,000bn. But research groups and think-tanks have more recently said the number was closer to $3,600bn to $3,800bn.

Currency swings, shifts in investment portfolio value, and investment returns will influence size at any given point. But the pleas from SWFs to be greeted openly no matter where they invest would be helped if more was known about the quantity of capital they control.