Esma faces uphill battle to emerge as European SEC
In an interview with Investment Officer, Esma chair Verena Ross outlined her vision and the significant challenges ahead as the regulatory body aims to become Europe’s equivalent to the US SEC.
Private equity shifts pressure to retail investors
Private equity’s model is coming under strain as exits slow, capital remains tied up, and investors are waiting longer for distributions. Rather than resolving these pressures, the industry is increasingly passing them on to individual investors, said Lucas Crasborn, chief investment officer at Optimix Vermogensbeheer, an independent wealth manager overseeing around 2.5 billion euros.
Asset owners push asset managers back into net zero alliance
Asset owners representing 3.7 trillion dollars in capital sent a clear message to their asset managers at the end of January: stay committed to net zero. Demand for climate strategies among institutional investors in Europe remains firmly intact.
Iran conflict hits Miran’s housing assumption
The conflict between the US and Iran is hitting the core of the Federal Reserve’s rate strategy. The one factor that was keeping rate cuts alive, falling housing costs, is now under pressure. Fed governor Stephen Miran’s bet that housing costs would keep falling fast enough to justify lower Fed rates is now being tested in the worst possible way.
New EU rules raise the bar for ESG rating providers
A sweeping new EU regulation for ESG rating providers is set to reshape a market that Morningstar Sustainalytics has helped build, consolidating a fragmented industry and raising the compliance bar significantly.
Eltif growth meets market reality
An Irish long-term investment fund has suspended redemptions after investor withdrawals exceeded its limits, marking the first gating event in the European market and exposing the structural tension at the heart of the product.
RMB bonds emerge as hedge in oil shock
RMB bonds may offer an unexpected shelter in a prolonged oil shock, as global fixed income markets struggle to absorb a renewed inflation impulse, according to Allianz Global Investors’ Jenny Zeng.
Evergreen is no El Dorado, says Indosuez’s Dauman
Evergreen funds are pushing private markets toward a wider investor base. Olivier Dauman of CA Indosuez says that expansion has clear limits. “I think evergreen is a nice evolution of this market. I don’t think it’s the El Dorado of private equity,” he told Investment Officer.
Shipping slows as fuel costs surge, credit strain spreads
Global shipping is slowing as surging fuel costs and mounting risks in the Persian Gulf begin to strain the industry’s finances, forcing companies to cut speeds, seek emergency credit and rethink whether voyages are still viable.
Shake-out in active management not over says M&G
The shake-out in active asset management is far from finished, even as some firms regain momentum in the battle for investor flows, according to Joseph Pinto, chief executive of M&G Investments.