A feature for Index Universe, looking at the performance of fundamental index strategies in emerging markets.

This month’s review of ETF industry developments in Asia focuses on India’s gold import problem.

Following on from last week’s timber article for MoneyWeek, I’ve received questions about unregulated timber investment schemes promising rather impressive-looking returns for retail investors.

I can’t comment on individual schemes, but I wrote some broad comments to bear in mind about arrangements of this kind – I’ve put them up on the International Investor since they seem to fit better there than here.

I wrote the latest cover story for MoneyWeek, looking at investing in timber – what returns you can expect, what drives the market and how to invest if you don’t have the money to buy a forest of your own.

Update: See also the post about unregulated timber investment schemes.

My latest review for Index Universe looks back at 2012 and concludes that Asian ETFs didn’t make as much progress as it might seem.

The regular monthly Asian ETF review is up on Index Universe, covering a number of first-of-their-kind launches in Korea, Australia and Hong Kong.

I’m back to bylines after the multi-month hiatus and have two pieces up on Index Universe this month.

First, there’s a feature on China’s capital controls and recent moves to allow greater foreign investment. Is this the latest evolution of reforms or a sign of concern about capital outflows?

Second, the usual monthly review, which includes a brief guide to RQFII ETFs.

To state the obvious, I’m not publishing much in the way of media articles at present and so should probably post some explanation as to why this feed has gone quiet. The reason is that I’m presently doing marketing work for products that I would otherwise be writing about, creating too many conflicts of interest in covering funds and specific investments.

The journalism and commentary may resume at some point in the future, but there are no firm plans either way. In the meantime, I will be maintaining the International Investor and writing there intermittently on topics where there is no obvious conflict.

Two short pieces for Emerging Markets:

1) How closely linked are EM equities to US equities?

2) How similar are USD-terms and local currency-terms returns for EM equities?

More to come on the same topic.

This week’s MoneyWeek Asia looks briefly at the recent swings in EM fund flows and profiles an asset allocation fund that aims to take factors such as this into account.