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8-K - TAIWAN FUND INC | v237662_8k.htm |
THE TAIWAN FUND, INC. (THE ‘FUND’)
MONTHLY INSIGHT
|
AT SEPTEMBER 30, 2011
IN BRIEF
|
|
Net asset value per share
|
US$17.40
|
Market price
|
US$15.02
|
Premium/(discount)
|
(13.68%)
|
Fund size
|
US$323.2m
|
Source: State Street Bank and Trust Company.
At September 30, 2011
|
US$ return
|
|||||||
Fund*
|
TAIEX Index†
|
|||||||
%
|
%
|
|||||||
One month
|
(13.9 | ) | (11.1 | ) | ||||
Three months
|
(17.8 | ) | (18.6 | ) | ||||
One year
|
(3.6 | ) | (6.5 | ) | ||||
Three years % pa
|
12.2 | 14.1 |
Past performance is not a guide to future returns. Returns are annualized, except for periods of less than one year.
*Source: State Street Bank and Trust Company. NAV performance.
†Source: TWSE. The index shown is the TAIEX Total Return Index.
PORTFOLIO MANAGER
Shifeng Ke
MANAGER’S COMMENTARY
Amid concerns over a potential Greek default and a slowdown in exports, the Taiwanese market continued to fall in September, losing 11%. Meanwhile, outflows of foreign capital drove the NT dollar down 4.8% against the US dollar.
The largest detractor from performance was index goliath Taiwan Semiconductor, which held up well during September’s sell-off. The Fund does not hold the stock, and so its relative performance suffered as a result.
The best contributor was Clevo, a manufacturer of laptops and computer peripherals. It is continuing to expand on the Chinese mainland and has recently increased its dividend.
It is hard to say when or how the European issues will be resolved, but Taiwan’s economy is still in good health. Estimates put second-quarter GDP growth at 5.0%, down only slightly from the first quarter’s 6.2%. For the whole year, GDP growth will be around 4.8% – not too shabby! And despite all the worries about a global slowdown, August’s wholesale and retail sales grew by 4.7% year on year, with sales of new cars up 14% in September.
Meanwhile, Taiwan’s rate of inflation remains low, at just 1.34% year on year in August. More of the Taiwanese companies we visit are remarking on how rapidly the gap between costs at their Taiwanese and mainland plants has closed. The unemployment rate was 4.5% in August, the same as July. There is no pressure on Taiwan’s central bank to increase interest rates from the current 1.875%. The depreciation of the NT dollar in September will help embattled Taiwanese exporters; the current downturn in the West is accelerating the shift towards catering for emerging-market demand. Of course, falling markets make exporters cautious, but the only serious problem that we have come across in our latest round of visits has been the case of a petrochemical producer hurt by the credit squeeze on small- and medium-sized enterprises in China, which forced the Taiwanese firm to curtail inventories.
When we visited Taiwan last month, it was very difficult to book a table at the Wang Steak restaurant (its parent company, WOW Prime, is aiming to be listed by the end of 2011). A tasty and substantial set meal (cocktail, bread, soup, salad, main course, fruit, dessert and drink) cost just US$40. And online shopping continues to boom in Taiwan, with double-digit sales growth.
MONTHLY INSIGHT
INVESTMENT STRATEGY
The Fund is 87.7% invested with holdings in 51 companies.
We bought a new holding in GeoVision, a decent surveillance-system provider which has enjoyed a recovery in sales to the European and US markets. We also topped up cellphone designer HTC. We took profits on and sold China Steel Chemical, which is expected to deliver flat growth next year, as its feedstock from China Steel won’t increase until 2013 and the price for benzene is likely to fall. We also continued to reduce Powercom (on a poor outlook for the solar industry), Globe Union Industrial, Li Peng Enterprise and Continental Holdings.
Our decision to hold a relatively high level of cash during the summer has been proved correct. Given the extreme value we see emerging in some of Taiwan’s best-managed companies, we now intend put this cash to work.
Shifeng Ke, Martin Currie Inc*
*Martin Currie Ltd and Heartland Capital Management Ltd (‘HCML’) have established MC China Ltd (‘MCCL’), as a joint venture company, to provide investment consultancy services to the range of China investment products managed by Marin Currie and its affiliates. HCML has seconded Shifeng Ke to Martin Currie Inc. and its affiliates, on a full time basis. Effective July 29, 2011, Chris Ruffle ceased performing client portfolio management functions for Martin Currie. Shifeng Ke is the lead manager of the Fund.
Martin Currie Inc. took over management of the Fund on May 9, 2010.
FUND DETAILS
|
|
September 30, 2011
|
|
Market cap
|
US$279.00m
|
Shares outstanding
|
18,575,214
|
Exchange listed
|
NYSE
|
Listing date
|
1986
|
Investment manager
|
Martin Currie Inc
|
Source: State Street Bank and Trust Company.
PERFORMANCE
|
(US$ RETURNS)
|
|||||||
(US$ returns)
|
NAV %
|
Market price %
|
||||||
One month
|
(13.9 | ) | (17.0 | ) | ||||
Three months
|
(17.8 | ) | (21.6 | ) | ||||
Three years % pa
|
12.2 | 9.8 |
Past performance is not a guide to future returns. Returns are annualized, except for periods of less than one year.
Source: State Street Bank and Trust Company.
SECTOR ALLOCATION
|
||||||||
Fund %*
|
Benchmark %†
|
|||||||
Wholesale and retail
|
19.9 | 6.2 | ||||||
Finance
|
18.5 | 13.3 | ||||||
Electronics
|
17.9 | 49.3 | ||||||
Construction
|
6.6 | 1.8 | ||||||
Plastics
|
6.4 | 8.8 | ||||||
Healthcare
|
4.4 | — | ||||||
Foods
|
3.3 | 1.8 | ||||||
Steel and iron
|
2.8 | 3.4 | ||||||
Textiles
|
2.3 | 1.8 | ||||||
Electric and machinery
|
2.2 | 1.3 | ||||||
Transportation
|
1.9 | 2.2 | ||||||
Cement
|
1.1 | 1.4 | ||||||
Others
|
0.4 | 2.0 | ||||||
Chemicals
|
— | 2.1 | ||||||
Rubber
|
— | 1.6 | ||||||
Automobile
|
— | 1.3 | ||||||
Electrical appliance and cable
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— | 0.4 | ||||||
Glass and ceramics
|
— | 0.5 | ||||||
Tourism
|
— | 0.5 | ||||||
Paper and pulp
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— | 0.3 | ||||||
Other assets and liabilities, net
|
12.3 | — |
*Source: State Street Bank and Trust Company.
†Source: TWSE.
15 LARGEST HOLDINGS*
|
|||||
% of net
|
|||||
44.2% of holdings
|
Sector
|
assets
|
|||
|
|||||
President Chain Store
|
Wholesale and retail
|
5.0 | |||
Clevo
|
Wholesale and retail
|
3.3 | |||
Nan Ya Plastics
|
Plastics
|
3.2 | |||
Chinatrust Financial Holding
|
Finance
|
3.2 | |||
Mercuries & Associates
|
Wholesale and retail
|
3.1 | |||
Far Eastern Department Stores
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Wholesale and retail
|
2.8 | |||
Uni-President Enterprises
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Foods
|
2.8 | |||
Tung Ho Steel Enterprise
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Steel and iron
|
2.8 | |||
SinoPac Financial Holdings
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Finance
|
2.8 | |||
Yuanta Financial Holding
|
Finance
|
2.7 | |||
KGI Securities
|
Finance
|
2.6 | |||
Wah Lee Industrial
|
Electronics
|
2.6 | |||
Fubon Financial Holding
|
Finance
|
2.5 | |||
Shin Kong Financial Holding
|
Finance
|
2.4 | |||
Test-Rite International
|
Wholesale and retail
|
2.4 |
*Source: State Street Bank and Trust Company.
PERFORMANCE
|
(US$ returns at September 30, 2011)
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
One month
|
Three months
|
Calendar year
|
One year
|
Three years
|
Five years
|
Ten years
|
Since launch
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
%
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%
|
to date %
|
%
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% pa
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% pa
|
% pa
|
% pa
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Taiwan Fund, Inc.*
|
(13.9 | ) | (17.8 | ) | (16.5 | ) | (3.6 | ) | 12.2 | 3.9 | 9.2 | 8.8 | ||||||||||||||||||||
TAIEX Index†
|
(11.2 | ) | (21.3 | ) | (23.0 | ) | (10.1 | ) | 10.1 | 2.7 | 8.5 | 8.5 | ||||||||||||||||||||
TAIEX Total Return Index†
|
(11.1 | ) | (18.6 | ) | (19.8 | ) | (6.5 | ) | 14.1 | 6.7 |
na
|
na
|
||||||||||||||||||||
MSCI Taiwan Index†
|
(10.5 | ) | (17.7 | ) | (19.9 | ) | (5.9 | ) | 10.6 | 3.4 | 9.4 |
na
|
Past performance is not a guide to future returns. Returns are annualized, except for periods of less than one year.
*Source: State Street Bank and Trust Company. Launch date December 23, 1986. Returns for the Fund are historical total returns that reflect changes in net asset value per share during each period and assume that dividends and capital gains, if any, were reinvested.
†Source: MSCI for the MSCI Taiwan Index and TWSE for the TAIEX Total Return Index and the TAIEX Index. For a full description of each index please see the index descriptions section.
Returns for the TAIEX Index are not total returns and reflect only changes in the share price but do not assume that cash dividends, if any, were reinvested, and thus are not strictly comparable to the Fund returns.
The TAIEX Total Return Index commenced January 1, 2003.
MONTHLY INSIGHT
PORTFOLIO IN FULL
Company
|
% of
|
||||
Sector
|
(BGB ticker)
|
Price
|
Holding
|
Value US$
|
net assets
|
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL
|
19.9
|
||||
President Chain Store
|
2912 TT
|
NT$173.5
|
2,840,000
|
$16,168,663
|
5.0
|
Clevo
|
2362 TT
|
NT$51.9
|
6,288,000
|
$10,708,686
|
3.3
|
Mercuries & Associates
|
2905 TT
|
NT$28.6
|
10,576,169
|
$9,925,461
|
3.1
|
Far Eastern Department Stores
|
2903 TT
|
NT$40.2
|
6,953,070
|
$9,171,892
|
2.8
|
Test-Rite International
|
2908 TT
|
NT$22.0
|
10,622,000
|
$7,668,056
|
2.4
|
PC Home Online
|
8044 TT
|
NT$180.0
|
1,071,588
|
$6,329,314
|
2.0
|
Taiwan Tea
|
2913 TT
|
NT$15.5
|
8,231,000
|
$4,186,399
|
1.3
|
FINANCE
|
18.5
|
||||
Chinatrust Financial Holding
|
2891 TT
|
NT$18.2
|
17,223,268
|
$10,285,922
|
3.2
|
SinoPac Financial Holdings
|
2890 TT
|
NT$9.9
|
28,093,205
|
$9,126,259
|
2.8
|
Yuanta Financial Holding
|
2885 TT
|
NT$15.5
|
17,184,900
|
$8,740,474
|
2.7
|
KGI Securities
|
6008 TT
|
NT$11.0
|
23,159,658
|
$8,359,516
|
2.6
|
Fubon Financial Holding
|
2881 TT
|
NT$32.1
|
7,716,706
|
$8,128,179
|
2.5
|
Shin Kong Financial Holding
|
2888 TT
|
NT$9.1
|
25,830,000
|
$7,721,454
|
2.4
|
China Life Insurance
|
2823 TT
|
NT$29.3
|
5,193,784
|
$4,985,010
|
1.5
|
Union Bank of Taiwan
|
2838 TT
|
NT$10.3
|
7,507,000
|
$2,537,230
|
0.8
|
ELECTRONICS
|
17.9
|
||||
Wah Lee Industrial
|
3010 TT
|
NT$38.3
|
6,644,000
|
$8,349,966
|
2.6
|
HTC
|
2498 TT
|
NT$685.0
|
340,000
|
$7,642,330
|
2.4
|
WT Microelectronics
|
3036 TT
|
NT$37.7
|
5,642,556
|
$6,971,033
|
2.1
|
Advantech
|
2395 TT
|
NT$81.4
|
2,426,100
|
$6,480,215
|
2.0
|
Aurora
|
2373 TT
|
NT$44.1
|
4,060,000
|
$5,868,515
|
1.8
|
Wistron NeWeb
|
6285 TT
|
NT$76.0
|
2,287,000
|
$5,703,429
|
1.8
|
CHIPBOND Technology
|
6147 TT
|
NT$28.0
|
5,411,000
|
$4,971,551
|
1.5
|
Taiflex Scientific
|
8039 TT
|
NT$38.4
|
3,452,820
|
$4,350,723
|
1.3
|
MPI
|
6223 TT
|
NT$77.2
|
1,448,000
|
$3,668,108
|
1.1
|
Tatung
|
2371 TT
|
NT$11.4
|
4,770,897
|
$1,784,683
|
0.6
|
GeoVision
|
3356 TT
|
NT$98.6
|
500,000
|
$1,617,719
|
0.5
|
Powercom
|
3043 TT
|
NT$24.6
|
750,000
|
$604,184
|
0.2
|
CONSTRUCTION
|
6.6
|
||||
Ruentex Development
|
9945 TT
|
NT$30.3
|
6,351,000
|
$6,314,530
|
2.0
|
Goldsun Development & Construction
|
2504 TT
|
NT$12.1
|
11,314,980
|
$4,492,576
|
1.4
|
Hung Poo Real Estate Development
|
2536 TT
|
NT$24.4
|
4,929,873
|
$3,939,046
|
1.2
|
Taiwan Land Development
|
2841 TT
|
NT$11.9
|
8,177,799
|
$3,179,882
|
1.0
|
King’s Town Construction
|
2524 TT
|
NT$19.6
|
4,261,680
|
$2,740,900
|
0.8
|
Continental Holdings
|
3703 TT
|
NT$10.0
|
1,844,000
|
$605,086
|
0.2
|
PLASTICS
|
6.4
|
||||
Nan Ya Plastics
|
1303 TT
|
NT$66.3
|
4,783,000
|
$10,405,673
|
3.2
|
China Petrochemical Development
|
1314 TT
|
NT$33.1
|
4,809,200
|
$5,215,556
|
1.6
|
Yem Chio
|
4306 TT
|
NT$27.0
|
5,701,316
|
$5,051,207
|
1.6
|
HEALTHCARE
|
4.4
|
||||
Excelsior Medical
|
4104 TT
|
NT$54.1
|
3,081,729
|
$5,470,764
|
1.7
|
St.Shine Optical
|
1565 TT
|
NT$375.0
|
392,000
|
$4,823,626
|
1.5
|
Pacific Hospital Supply
|
4126 TT
|
NT$97.4
|
1,223,142
|
$3,909,238
|
1.2
|
Company
|
% of
|
||||
Sector
|
(BGB ticker)
|
Price
|
Holding
|
Value US$
|
net assets
|
FOODS
|
3.3
|
||||
Uni-President Enterprises
|
1216 TT
|
NT$39.9
|
6,996,000
|
$9,159,652
|
2.8
|
Gourmet Master
|
2723 TT
|
NT$212.5
|
214,200
|
$1,493,602
|
0.5
|
STEEL AND IRON
|
2.8
|
||||
Tung Ho Steel Enterprise
|
2006 TT
|
NT$27.6
|
10,099,000
|
$9,146,264
|
2.8
|
TEXTILES
|
2.3
|
||||
Makalot Industrial
|
1477 TT
|
NT$65.4
|
1,828,000
|
$3,922,927
|
1.2
|
Far Eastern New Century
|
1402 TT
|
NT$31.5
|
3,214,836
|
$3,322,964
|
1.0
|
Li Peng Enterprise
|
1447 TT
|
NT$10.3
|
743,400
|
$251,256
|
0.1
|
ELECTRIC AND MACHINERY
|
2.2
|
||||
Yungtay Engineering
|
1507 TT
|
NT$47.8
|
3,274,000
|
$5,135,265
|
1.6
|
Good Friend International Holdings
|
2398 TT
|
NT$15.1
|
4,145,000
|
$2,053,798
|
0.6
|
TRANSPORTATION
|
1.9
|
||||
Farglory F T Z Investment Holding
|
5607 TT
|
NT$16.2
|
7,485,000
|
$3,978,901
|
1.2
|
Taiwan High Speed Rail
|
2633 TT
|
NT$5.1
|
12,597,600
|
$2,108,212
|
0.7
|
CEMENT
|
1.1
|
||||
Wei Mon Industry
|
8925 TT
|
NT$17.0
|
6,433,854
|
$3,578,468
|
1.1
|
OTHERS
|
0.4
|
||||
Globe Union Industrial
|
9934 TT
|
NT$17.7
|
1,968,000
|
$1,143,022
|
0.4
|
OTHER ASSETS AND LIABILITIES, NET
|
$39,685,403
|
12.3
|
MONTHLY INSIGHT
THE TAIWAN FUND, INC. PREMIUM/DISCOUNT
Source: State Street Bank and Trust Company as of September 30, 2011.
INDEX DESCRIPTIONS
TAIEX Index
The TWSE, or TAIEX Index is a capitalization-weighted index of all listed common shares traded on the Taiwan Stock Exchange. The index was based in 1966 and does not include re-invested dividends.
TAIEX Total Return Index
The TAIEX Total Return Index is a capitalization-weighted index of all listed common shares traded on the Taiwan Stock Exchange, based in 1966, which includes re-invested dividends.
MSCI Taiwan Index
The MSCI Total Return Taiwan Index is a free-float adjusted market capitalization index. The index represents Taiwanese companies that are available to investors worldwide. The Index has a base date of December 31, 1987. As of September 30, 2011, it contained 122 constituents.
OBJECTIVE
The Fund was launched on December 23, 1986 to allow US and other investors to access and participate in the growth of the economy and the stock market in Taiwan, the Republic of China. The Fund’s investment objective is to seek long-term capital appreciation primarily through investments in equity securities listed in Taiwan. The Fund is a diversified, closed-end management investment company listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol ‘TWN’.
Taiwan, with its global market leadership in high technology goods and its significant investments throughout mainland China and Southeast Asian economies, is now an integral economic player in the Asia Pacific Region as well as around the world. Investing in Taiwan not only allows investors to capitalize on Taiwan’s dynamic economy, but also allows investors to reap the growth and investment potential of the mainland China and other emerging economies of the region.
CONTACTS
The Taiwan Fund, Inc.
c/o State Street Bank and Trust Company
2 Avenue de Lafayette
PO Box 5049
Boston, MA 02111
Tel: (1) 877-864-5056
www.thetaiwanfund.com
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
This document is issued and approved by Martin Currie Inc (‘MC Inc’), as investment adviser of The Taiwan Fund, Inc. (the ‘Fund’). MC Inc is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (‘FSA’) and incorporated under limited liability in New York, USA. Registered in Scotland (No BR2575), registered address Saltire Court, 20 Castle Terrace, Edinburgh, EH1 2ES. Information herein is believed to be reliable but has not been verified by MC Inc. MC Inc makes no representation or warranty and does not accept any responsibility in relation to such information or for opinion or conclusion which the reader may draw from this newsletter.
Martin Currie Ltd and Heartland Capital Management Ltd (‘HCML’) have established MC China Ltd (‘MCCL’), as a joint venture company, to provide investment consultancy services to the range of China investment products managed by Martin Currie and its affiliates. HCML has seconded Shifeng Ke to Martin Currie Inc. and its affiliates, on a full time basis. Effective July 29, 2011, Chris Ruffle ceased performing client portfolio management functions for Martin Currie.
Heartland Capital Investment Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd (‘HCIC’) is a wholly owned subsidiary of MC China Ltd. Research is undertaken by HCIC for MC China Ltd and provided to MC Inc (the investment manager of The Taiwan Fund, Inc.) and Martin Currie Investment Management Ltd., an affiliate of the investment manager. HCIC may change its opinions and views without prior notice. Any information provided within does not constitute investment advice nor is it an invitation to invest in this company.
The Fund is classified as a diversified investment company under the US Investment Company Act of 1940 as amended. It meets the criteria of a closed ended US mutual fund and its shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange. MC Inc has been appointed investment adviser to the Fund.
Investors are advised that they will not generally benefit from the rules and regulations of the United Kingdom Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and the FSA for the protection of investors, nor benefit from the United Kingdom Financial Services Compensation Scheme, nor have access to the Financial Services Ombudsman in the event of a dispute. Investors will also have no rights of cancellation under the FSA’s Conduct of Business Sourcebook of the United Kingdom.
This newsletter does not constitute an offer of shares. MC Inc, its ultimate and intermediate holding companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, clients, directors or staff may, at any time, have a position in the market referred to herein, and may buy or sell securities, currencies, or any other financial instruments in such markets. The information or opinion expressed in this newsletter should not be construed to be a recommendation to buy or sell the securities, commodities, currencies or financial instruments referred to herein.
The information provided in this report should not be considered a recommendation to purchase or sell any particular security. There is no assurance that any securities discussed herein will remain in an account’s portfolio at the time you receive this report or that securities sold have not been repurchased.
It should not be assumed that any of the securities transactions or holdings discussed here were or will prove to be profitable, or that the investment recommendations or decisions we make in the future will be profitable or will equal the investment performance of the securities discussed herein.
Investing in the Fund involves certain considerations in addition to the risks normally associated with making investments in securities. The value of the shares issued by the Fund, and the income from them, may go down as well as up and there can be no assurance that upon sale, or otherwise, investors will receive back the amount originally invested. There can be no assurance that you will receive comparable performance returns, or that investments will reflect the performance of the stock examples contained in this document. Movements in foreign exchange rates may have a separate effect, unfavorable as well as favorable, on the gain or loss otherwise experienced on an investment. Past performance is not a guide to future returns. Accordingly, the Fund is only suitable for investment by investors who are able and willing to withstand the total loss of their investment. In particular, prospective investors should consider the following risks:
It should be noted that investment in the Fund is only suitable for sophisticated investors who are aware of the risk of investing in Taiwan and should be regarded as long term. Funds which invest in one country carry a higher degree of risk than those with portfolios diversified across a number of markets.
|
|
Investment in the securities of smaller and unquoted companies can involve greater risk than is customarily associated with investment in larger, more established, companies. In particular, smaller companies often have limited product lines, markets or financial resources and their management may be dependent on a smaller number of key individuals. In addition, the market for stock in smaller companies is often less liquid than that for stock in larger companies, bringing with it potential difficulties in acquiring, valuing and disposing of such stock. Proper information for determining their value, or the risks to which they are exposed, may not be available.
|
|
Investments within emerging markets such as Taiwan can be of higher risk. Many emerging markets, and the companies quoted on their stock exchanges, are exposed to the risks of political, social and religious instability, expropriation of assets or nationalization, rapid rates of inflation, high interest rates, currency depreciation and fluctuations and changes in taxation which may affect the Fund’s income and the value of its investments.
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The marketability of quoted shares may be limited due to foreign investment restrictions, wide dealing spreads, exchange controls, foreign ownership restrictions, the restricted opening of stock exchanges and a narrow range of investors. Trading volume may be lower than on more developed stockmarkets, and equities are less liquid. Volatility of prices can also be greater than in more developed stockmarkets. The infrastructure for clearing, settlement and registration on the primary and secondary markets may be undeveloped. Under certain circumstances, there may be delays in settling transactions in some of the markets.
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Martin Currie Inc registered in Scotland (no BR2575)
Registered office: Saltire Court, 20 Castle Terrace, Edinburgh EH1 2ES
Tel: 44 (0) 131 229 5252 Fax: 44 (0) 131 228 5959 www.martincurrie.com
North American office: 1350 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 3010, New York, NY
10019, USA Tel: (1) 212 258 1900 Fax: (1) 212 258 1919
Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority and incorporated with limited liability in New York, USA. Registered with the SEC as an investment adviser.
Please note: calls to the above numbers may be recorded.