Investment Officer

Private markets, in particular those for digital infrastructure investments, continue to appeal to European institutional investors, according to a global survey among 480 institutional investors presented on Tuesday by State Street. The survey also shows that European investors are a bit more reluctant than others to invest in private equity.

Luxembourg’s financial supervisor CSSF has said it will start collecting information from firms on their anti money laundering and terrorism financing setups from next Wednesday, 15 February, through its annual industry-wide survey. 

Trading shares during the day that a company releases its earnings reports by going long on ones with positive news and short on the ones with negative news can generate a daily return of 1.3 percent.

That is the bold conclusion of a study conducted jointly by the Amundi Institute and the Toulouse School of Economics. Using artificial intelligence software from Causality Link and a long-short portfolio, the researchers were able to confirm that news signals influence short-term price movements.

Jersey-based management company Crestbridge has appointed Anthony Yabut as director of tax in its New Jersey office, as part of its ongoing strategy to expand and enhance its client proposition in the US market.

Luxembourg stock exchange listed private equity firm Luxempart on Monday said it entered into an investment agreement that will give it a stake of approximately 26 percent in Kestrel Vision for about 110 million euros.

Global financial markets are entering a riskier phase where some corporate earnings could disappoint while opportunities remain in China, emerging markets and investment grade bonds, Europe’s biggest asset manager Amundi said.

In their February note to investors, Amundi’s group chief investment officer Vincent Mortier and deputy group CIO Matteo Germano spoke of a subdued earnings and economic backdrop that calls for a cautious, well-diversified approach. 

Thursday’s 50 basis point rate hike by the European Central Bank came as no surprise. The ECB’s deposit rate now stands at 2.5 percent. The ECB reiterated that it intends to deliver a similar rate hike at its next meeting in March.

The ECB’s hike came one day after a 25 point increase announced by the Federal Reserve, and coincided with a 50 point raise by the Bank of England.

Swiss private bank Union Bancaire Privée, or UBP, has developed a partnership with New York-based Brigade Capital Management to expand its offering of credit-focused investment products. A new fund, U Access (IRL) Brigade Credit Long Short Ucits, launched in September and has close to 100 millions dollars under management.

New York Life, America’s largest mutual life insurer, has named Naïm Abou-Jaoudé as chief executive officer of New York Life Investment Management.  Vincent Hamelink (photo), Candriam chief investment officer, will succeed Abou-Jaoudé as CEO of Candriam.

The collective value of Luxembourg investment funds has plunged more than 800 billion euro from record levels reached a year ago as inflation, rising interest rates and the war in Ukraine took their toll on assets domiciled in the grand duchy.