A primer on government funds charged with investing currency reserves for profit.

For several years, high oil prices enabled the Gulf Cooperation Council countries to add large sums to their state coffers. Falling oil prices imply that some Gulf countries may need to draw on their depleted funds to cover their import bills. In this Center for Geoeconomic Studies Working Paper, Brad W. Setser and Rachel Ziemba examine the impact of the fall in global equities on the Gulf’s large funds and explore how various oil price scenarios could shape those funds’ future growth.

Brad Setser argues that the best way to address concerns over sovereign wealth are policy shifts in the United States and abroad that would reduce surpluses abroad and U.S. deficits, and bring the U.S. external deficit back to a level that could be more easily be financed by private demand for U.S. assets.

This GAO report analyzes sovereign wealth fund data that is made publicly available through SWFs and other international sources as well as the U.S. government.

In testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Jagdish Bhagwati makes recommendations for U.S. policy on sovereign wealth funds.

In this Wall Street Journal op-ed, Benn Steil argues that Calpers, the California Public Employees' Retirement System, is best viewed as a highly political "sovereign wealth fund." Governed by state political figures and union representatives, Calpers' investment decisions are frequently guided by foreign policy and social agendas rather than fundholder interests.

Watch financial experts discuss the geopolitical implications of international sovereign wealth funds buying stakes in companies in the United States and elsewhere.

Speakers discuss the trend of Sovereign Wealth Funds buying large stakes in private businesses and its implications.

Watch financial experts discuss the geopolitical implications of international sovereign wealth funds buying stakes in companies in the United States and elsewhere.

Listen to financial experts discuss the geopolitical implications of international sovereign wealth funds buying stakes in companies in the United States and elsewhere.

In this testimony, Brad Setser examines the forces that have propelled the growth of sovereign funds and the differences among sovereign funds.  In particular, he looks at the issues raised by the increase in the non-reserve foreign assets of China’s government.

Robert M. Kimmitt discusses sovereign wealth funds and the world economy.

Listen to Robert M. Kimmitt, U.S. deputy secretary of the treasury, discuss his recent Foreign Affairs article on the rise of sovereign wealth funds.