GIC and Temasek have fully recovered from the global financial crisis.
During the financial crisis, the portfolios managed by GIC and Temasek had suffered declines in their portfolio values in line with global market declines. However, these declines came after much greater increases in their portfolio values in the preceding five years. For example, Temasek’s portfolio increased by S$124 billion over the preceding five years from the time the market cycle commenced in April 2003 to March 2008.
Taking the cycle as a whole from the start of the crisis and through the recovery both GIC and Temasek have done creditably in comparison to their international peers among major global managers. They have fully recovered their declines in portfolio values occurred during the crisis. More importantly, both GIC and Temasek have earned creditable returns over longer periods (see Q9).
The long-term investment orientation of GIC and Temasek has allowed them to tolerate short-term volatility and ride out market cycles, in order to achieve long term gains. To evaluate their performance, we therefore have to look at how they performed over the long term, rather than in the short term where their performances would be influenced by the immediate market cycle. Moreover, they have to be evaluated based on changes in their overall portfolio values rather than by how much they have made or lost on individual investments.