EY Luxembourg committed to demerger as vote is delayed

A decision by consultancy EY to split its business into separate entities for audit services and management consultancy has been pushed back to later this year because of the “complexity” of Project Everest, as the plan is internally known.

EY Luxembourg said it remains committed to the ambitious plan.

‘Equities are a lost cause. Don’t trust this rally.’

While interest rates in the bond market are rising uninhibitedly, the stock market may be in a dead-cat bounce, or a “sucker-rally”. Some market specialists do not trust the rally and declare equities “a lost cause”. In terms of allocations, the traditional appeal of a 60-40 portfolio appears to make a comeback now that the ‘earnings yield spread’ between stocks and bonds is narrowing.

Robeco takes Morningstar awards for best asset manager

Asset manager Robeco on Wednesday won the award for best asset manager in Morningstar’s Luxembourg Awards for Investing Excellence in 2023. The firm also won the new award as best asset manager in sustainable investing.

Dutch-based Robeco, with assets under management of approximately 200 billion euro, since 2016 is fully owned by Japanese financial services conglomerate Orix. With its awards Robeco beat competition Vanguard, J O Hambro, BNP Paribas and Candriam.

Luxembourg Women in Finance Charter launched

A total of 69 signatories representing the Luxembourg financial sector on Wednesday marked International Women’s Day 2023 by signing the newly launched Luxembourg Women in Finance Charter, seeking to improve gender diversity in the grand duchy’s financial centre.

The initiative, supported by the Luxembourg finance ministry, seeks to achieve greater gender balance and inclusivity across the Luxembourg financial services industry. Finance minister Yuriko Backes will act as the charter’s patron.