‘High-dividend, low-volatility equities can reduce portfolio risk’ 

Quintet sees little cause for celebration when the world rings in the new year, the Luxembourg private bank said in its 2023 outlook. The year ahead will be one of two halves: once central banks stop raising interest rates, a new cycle of uneven, global growth will begin. High-dividend and low-volatility equities may provide an opportunity to reduce portfolio risk, the firm’s investment officers said.

Imbalance between private and public troubles investors

Private market investments have become overweight in institutional portfolios following this year’s substantial declines in public markets. Half of investors are waiting “as long as necessary” for this dislocation to subside. The other half is concerned, a new survey by Bfinance shows. The report is of particular interest to Luxembourg, where interest in private assets and alternative investments has increased significantly in recent years.

Private banks in Luxembourg struggle as margins squeezed

Private banks in Luxembourg, especially the smaller ones, are struggling as their margins are squeezed while weak financial markets have not made business any easier this year, it became clear at a press presentation on Friday afternoon, held at the offices of Luxembourg’s bankers’ association ABBL, which presented the results of a new survey. “The important thing is critical mass.”

Credit Suisse hires Quintet’s Purcell for sustainability

Former UBS director James Purcell has left Luxembourg-based private bank Quintet and joined Credit Suisse as head of sustainability. Purcell will report directly to ​​Credit Suisse’s chief sustainability officer, Emma Crystal.

After more than a decade at UBS, Purcell in 2020 joined Quintet as group head of sustainable, thematic and impact investments. At UBS he held similar positions between 2009 and 2020. His appointment at Credit Suisse took effect this month.

PWC: Alternatives add dynamism to ManCo market

Unregulated alternative investments continued to be dynamic and successful in Luxembourg last year thanks to the modernisation in recent years of the Grand Duchy’s regulatory regime for private markets, consultancy firm PWC Luxembourg noted when releasing the latest version of its Observatory for Management Companies.