Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute

Mexico is a country that is economically dependent on its petroleum industry. Revenue volatility from one budget to the next, as business cycles tend to coincide with oil cycles, and the proficient use of oil revenues increases remain significant challenges for Mexico. Also, Mexico must deal with the scenario of decreased oil revenues as production is in steady decline and proven reserves are shrinking.  The Government of Mexico has purchased put options at the US$ 85 a barrel level. This is to protect Mexico’s finances in case of a potential drop in the average price. The put options may be exercised in the event Mexico’s basket of export crude treads below an average of US$ 85 a barrel. This is nothing new as comparable hedging strategies have been used in the past to protect against oil price volatility.

The oil coverage program is applied through Mexico’s Oil Revenues Stabilization Fund.

In 2010, the Government of Mexico hedged at US$ 57 a barrel at a cost of over US$ 1 billion. [Content protected for Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute Standard subscribers only. Please subscribe to view site content.]

According to Bloomberg, “China Investment Corp., the nation’s sovereign wealth fund, has had “early” talks for direct investments in Brazil and Mexico, Chairman Lou Jiwei said.

The sovereign wealth fund plans to increase direct investments this year and prioritizes such investments in developing markets, Lou said at a financial forum in Hong Kong today. CIC plans to be an “active, minority” shareholder in companies, instead of being involved in day-to-day operations, he said.

“In developing countries, the public capital markets are not as deep as developed countries,” Lou said. “We’re more interested in direct investments in developing countries.”

CIC, which held almost $300 billion in assets at the end of 2008, last year accelerated investments in resource-related companies, from U.S. power producer AES Corp. to Russia’s Nobel Oil Group, to hedge against rising inflation. Brazil is the second-biggest exporter of iron ore, while China is the largest buyer of the raw material.”
read more: Bloomberg