Opinion

In Luxembourg—a glorified back office—we all know someone who toils away in fear of financial regulators, mindlessly crunching numbers and churning out reports, yet unable to explain the fund industry’s role in society. And that’s a real shame.

On 10 March 2000, the Nasdaq peaked at 5048.6 points – a moment that no one recognised as such at the time, but which, in retrospect, marked the beginning of a freefall that would wipe out 77 percent of the market’s value. Now, 25 years later, inevitable parallels arise between the dotcom hype and the current AI revolution. But are these comparisons justified?

The markets were already on edge, and there seems to be little sign of that changing any time soon. Geopolitical tensions have reached fever pitch, culminating in an outright shouting match in the Oval Office in Washington. This development could have significant consequences, as Trump currently appears unwilling to provide aid to Ukraine.

The German elections have resulted in a victory for the CDU/CSU. That was not entirely unexpected. The same cannot be said for the historic defeat of the SPD, which recorded its worst result since 1887.

The monetary forest through which Christine Lagarde and the rest of the ECB are wandering appears to have only one path. During the latest press conference, the ECB President made it clear that the direction of the bank’s interest rate journey is downward.

For more than eighty years, Europe has been protected under the security umbrella of the United States. Now, as negotiations take place regarding the war in Europe without the involvement of Ukraine or any other European nations, Europe is forced to adopt an independent stance both politically and militarily.

The Bund in Shanghai is a one-and-a-half-kilometre waterfront promenade along the Yellow River. With its luxury restaurants and Italian racing cars, the view of Pudong from Bar Rouge on the Bund resembles the capitalist pinnacle of the communist utopia.

A beneficial side effect of President Trump is that we can trash all incoming macro figures without further analysis. That saves time and provides space to focus on what will almost certainly be a titanic battle: Powell vs Trump.

Even MacGyver, master of improvisation, meets his match in Luxembourg’s compliance world. Gregory Kennedy explores the impossible demands placed on compliance officers—and why even a secret agent might struggle to keep up.

Passive investing can be seen as a disruptive innovation that has also reduced costs for active investors. It has made active investors more engaged, aligning their compensation more closely with their added value. Meanwhile, passive investors benefit as free riders from the extensive work undertaken by active investors.