The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) saw a 9.73% increase in the second quarter of 2015, from a year earlier on higher equity and real estate portfolio returns.
Compared to previous RM10.4 billion, the EPF’s income rise 9.73% for the second quarter ended June 30, 2015 (2QFY15), while 1H15 income increased to RM22.04 billion from RM19.23 billion a year earlier.
The fund’s income had also increased on Malaysian government bond investments, said Datuk Shahril Ridza Ridzuan, chief executive office of EPF.
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“Despite very challenging conditions, our performance for the first six months of 2015 was strongly supported by our well-diversified portfolio and the strengthening of the USD had also enhanced the returns from our international investments.
“While we were able to maintain the previous quarter’s momentum, we are currently seeing greater volatility in the financial markets. The anticipation of interest rate hike in the United States as well as economic slowdown in China and other emerging countries are the prevailing concerns. It will be challenging for the EPF to sustain the first half’s momentum for the remaining part of the year,” Shahril said.
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According to him, EPF’s international investments make up 25% of total investment assets of RM667.21 billion, as of June 2015. The global portfolio accounted for more than 40% of the EPF’s 1H15 income.
Equities constituted 43% of total assets in 2QFY15. Shahril said equities generated higher income at RM6.97 billion, which represented 61.05% of the EPF’s total income.
“With our long-term investment horizon, the current situation presents good opportunities for us to capitalise on undervalued and fundamentally strong domestic and global assets,” Shahril added.
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