Investment Officer

Dividends paid by European companies on an underlying basis have sunk by more than 28% in 2020 to €141 billion, according to the Janus Henderson Global Dividend Index. This is the lowest figure since 2009.

Capital Group, T.Rowe Price and iShares have been nominated as finalists for the Morningstar Awards for best asset manager across all asset classes in Luxembourg.

The nomination for iShares is a first: never before a passive fund house received a nomination for the Morningstar Award for best asset manager. iShares was also nominated for best fund house in the category fixed-income overall, in an apparent rebuke of active management. This shortlist is also all-American, with BlueBay and Capital Group being the other nominees.

The story behind an investment fund or asset manager is taking an increasingly important place in the selection process. Performance and price will always matter, but there is more to it than that these days,’ said Chris Chancellor of Broadridge this week at the cross-border distribution conference of Financial Times, Deloitte and Elvinger Hoss.

The European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs) EBA, Eiopa and Esma have adjusted proposed requirements under the EU sustainable finance disclosure regulation (SFDR). This was done in order to prevent possible greenwashing by asset managers, according to Esma president Steven Maijoor (pictured).

The average European family office has invested 16% of their assets sustainably. This is much more than their counterparts in the rest of the world, according to a survey by Blackrock.

Thematic ETFs saw record inflows of €9.5 billion last year, as totale assets in the category almost tripled to €22.7 billion, according to Morningstar’s European Thematic Roundup 2020.

Quintet private bank is counting on an accelerated global recovery in the spring and is advising its clients to increase risk in the short term. The bank is overweight equities, especially those from the US and emerging markets.

With the recovery of the global economy that has begun and the support measures of central banks and governments, the climate is favourable for investments in risk assets, according to Quintet’s Bill Street.

As a very challenging 2020 has drawn to a close, everyone is looking to the future: when can I get the vaccine? When will life return to normal? When will I be able to go to the pub with my friends again?

But for investors, it’s of course important to not only look to the short term, but also to think much further out. Forget what 2021 will look like - what will 2030 look like?

LFP 1 SICAV has filed a civil claim against the CSSF for gross negligence. The directors of the fund claim the regulator turned a blind eye to blatant fraud with the fund between 2014 and 2019, and can therefore be held responsible for the losses in the fund.

The London-based foreign exchange specialist Monex has opened an office in Luxembourg to serve its EU-based clients after the Brexit transition period ends on 31 December.

The presence in Luxembourg will enable Monex to continue to provide foreign exchange and international payment services to customers based in Europe without any disruptions, said Monex Europe CEO Nick Edgeley.