Mercer Investment Consulting has released data on its global investment manager search activity for 2006.
During 2006, Mercer IC advised on 741 manager searches globally, representing $92.3 billion in assets placed. There was particular growth in search activity in Asia where searches handled by Mercer IC nearly doubled to 83 in 2006.
International equity remained the most popular product category among Mercer IC’s clients, with 143 such searches accounting for nearly $29 billion, or just over 31 percent of total assets placed. US equity was the second most popular category, with 76 searches and more than $4 billion in assets placed.
“The total number of searches conducted has remained broadly stable over recent years,” says Andy Barber, global and European head of research for Mercer IC. “What has changed has been a slow but steady increase in search activity in non-traditional asset classes in all regions.”