Investment Officer

Nearly 1,200 billion euros in assets is tied up in newly launched funds that need at least 100 million euros to break even, according to research by the data consultancy Broadridge. Almost six in ten Luxembourg-domiciled funds have less than 100 million euros in assets. 

Four French asset managers have joined forces to develop an innovative tool that measures the impact of investments on global biodiversity. The fund houses - Axa Investment Management, BNP Paribas Asset Management, Sycomore AM and Mirova - think there is a growing interest in quantitative indicators.

Luxembourg wants to be the leading global centre in sustainable finance by 2025. It also wants to keep increasing the number of foreign banks and asset managers active in the country and strengthen its role as a wealth management hub by attracting more family offices.

Earning no yield on gold is better than a negative yield on bonds. Therefore investors should shift the allocation of their portfolios from negative yielding bonds to gold, according to Quintet.

Quintet (formerly KBL European Private Bankers) is positive about alternatives and tends to have an overweight in gold both for the long and short term.  

The best performing investment funds in 2019 are active funds. More importantly: they are mainly funds registered in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Those are the findings of a half-yearly study by consultant AF Advisors of investment funds available for private investors in the Netherlands. 

KBL epb changes its name into Quintet Pan-European private banking group. The Luxembourg-based bank does this in order to better reflect its partnership approach in wealth management.

KBL European Private Bankers, established in 1949 in Luxembourg and currently with subsidiaries in more than 50 European cities, is from now on called ‘Quintet’, as mentioned in a press release issued by the bank. 

Figures published by the supervisory Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier show that Luxembourg-registered investment funds were managing approximately 4,670 bn euro in November 2019. 

Ever since 1998, Luxembourg has been gaining influence and volume as a hub for investment funds, showing next to no downturn in the process. In 1998, the total amount of capital managed by Luxembourg investment funds was approximately 500 bn euro. 

Equity markets are starting 2020 on an optimistic note. Investors are celebrating the preliminary US-China trade deal and equities are trading at record highs. Investment Officer asked three prominent investors  representing global asset managers for their views. Today, we ask Stefan Kreuzkamp, CIO of DWS.

2020 will probably not be a great year for bonds. The low interest rates could even precipitate a shock to the financial system eventually. The outlook for equities is somewhat more promising, even though it’s difficult to grow earnings in the current low-growth environment, says Chris Iggo, CIO of AXA IM, in the second part of our 2020 outlook series. 

The world economy is showing signs of recovery. Over the fourth quarter, investors have anticipated a more stable macro environment by driving up equity market valuations. The ‘very large Phase One Deal’ that was announced by President Trump on Twitter earlier this month may not be as comprehensive as suggested. But markets have given Trump the benefit of doubt and have continued to move up.