Why Do The QIA See Such Value In The UK?
While the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) has been in the news of late, taking a near £2 billion stake in troubled Barclays Bank, it seems that where some see doom and gloom in the UK, the QIA sees investment opportunities. If the noises coming out of the Middle East are true the QIA is very much on course to invest literally billions of pounds into the UK over the coming weeks and months.
Those who are a little surprised at the amount of money available for investment need look no further than the massive oil income which the country is enjoying at the moment. However, like every bull market, the rise and rise in the oil price will come to an end at some stage, something the government funded QIA is well aware of.
What better way to hedge off the impact of falling oil prices, when it eventually happens, by investing in the very economies and companies which have been affected by the high price. While this is by no means rocket science, taking stakes in leading UK companies and institutions, the QIA is showing a degree of forward thinking which few investment companies in the world would even consider.
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