Asset Managers

Jamie Dimon, chairman and chief executive officer of JPMorganChase, has warned that global bond markets are heading toward a crisis unless policymakers act before markets force their hand, pointing to a compounding mix of persistent government deficits, geopolitical instability and inflation pressures that sovereign debt has yet to fully price in.

A Belgian-led private fund, structured as a Luxembourg RAIF, at the center of a Dutch regulatory probe has acknowledged serious failures in governance and investor reporting, as it attempts to rebuild trust with two wealth managers whose clients were exposed to the structure.

In times of uncertainty, it is even more crucial to invest in the human connection that is at the heart of private banking, said Stéphane Pardini, CEO of Wealth Management at Quintet Luxembourg, in an interview with Investment Officer.

From the 17th floor of the Rembrandt Tower in Amsterdam, Blackrock has a clear view of a market where scrutiny of its climate strategy is intensifying. Pension funds, policymakers, and activist groups are raising questions about the role of the world’s largest asset manager in the energy transition.

A mix of erratic political choices has chipped away at confidence in Washington. Yet, as the economic backdrop remains stubbornly solid, the case for US assets is alive and kicking, America’s largest investors say.

Asset managers and financial planners need to focus more explicitly on heirs in the run-up to the “Great Wealth Transfer” in order to limit asset outflows and safeguard their own future. They should, in fact, behave more like a family office.

BNP Paribas Asset Management expects its alternatives division to grow by 5 to 6 percent annually and to consolidate its leading position in Europe. The asset manager said it is barely affected by the negative sentiment surrounding private credit.

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.

Candriam is lowering the ESG bar for two major funds. This is intended to make investments in “selected defense companies” possible.

Investments in private markets are still characterized by limited information and imperfect transparency, particularly when compared with public assets. Asset managers increasingly see economic value in addressing that gap, turning greater transparency into a business model in its own right.