Chinese fund managers Huaan, HFT Investment to merge, local media reports

SHANGHAI: Chinese mutual fund manager Huaan Fund Management Co and smaller rival HFT Investment Management Co, both controlled by Guotai Haitong Securities Co, will merge due to regulatory caps on asset management licenses, Chinese newspaper 21st Century Business Herald reported on Thursday, citing sources.

The final merger plan will be announced later this month or in early April, the newspaper said. The companies said they could not immediately comment when contacted by Reuters.

Chinese regulators have been encouraging consolidations in the financial industry to create globally competitive banks and asset managers. Guotai Huaitong was created last year after Guotai Junan Securities acquired rival Haitong Securities.

A Chinese company is barred by rule from having controlling stakes in two mutual fund managers. Huaan is China’s 16th biggest mutual fund company with more than 800 billion yuan (USD115.9 billion) of assets under management. HFT Investment, partly owned by BNP Paribas, has about 250 billion yuan in assets under management.