Opinion

The landscape of the technology industry has been dramatically reshaped since the onset of the coronavirus crisis, with big tech companies witnessing their operating profit margins leap from 24 to 29 percent. In stark contrast, other companies have seen a decline of two percentage points in the same period. This trend, far from fostering competition, is solidifying a ‘winner-takes-all’ economy.

“I’ve got to say, I’m usually skeptical of the phrase “This time is different.” More often than not, it’s not. But the persistent strength of the U.S. economy, particularly the job market, is making me think twice. Maybe this time really is different.

As the global investment community grapples with a fluctuating market and evolving attitudes towards ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) funds, a nuanced story is emerging from Europe. This narrative, against the backdrop of Amundi’s “Responsible Investment Views 2024” report and innovative steps by Mirova and Robeco, is further illuminated by Morningstar’s latest findings on global sustainable fund flows.

What an extraordinary month the first month of this year proved to be for the European Central Bank (ECB), indeed! To begin, this month marked the 25th anniversary of the euro’s inception. To commemorate this milestone, major newspapers across eurozone countries published an article by ECB President Christine Lagarde, among others, just before the year-end.

With many aspects, a distant perspective can be quite enlightening. This certainly applies to monetary policy, in my view. The more I distance myself, the more evident it becomes that for some central banks, debt management, rather than inflation – as officially proclaimed – is their primary objective. Japan is a prime example.

A thriving fund industry rests on the foundation of a robust regulatory framework, assuring investors that their assets will be safeguarded against misappropriation. Nevertheless, the pursuit of greater protection often accompanies higher fees, prompting investors to scrutinise regulatory requirements for tangible and effective outcomes.

The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine has accelerated the exodus of industries from Europe, a trend that began long before the conflict.

Markets can often be inscrutable, as seen in December’s US inflation data, which showed a rise in headline inflation to 3.4 percent, unexpectedly surpassing the forecast of 3.2 percent.

Shares have been muddling along since, in a reaction seemingly consistent with these figures. Yet, this contradicts the trends observed in recent months. 

The use of liquidity pockets for open-ended Eltifs, European long term investment funds, remains to be clarified by the European Commission. In their first contribution as Knowledge Partners for Investment Officer, Marc Meyers and Sebastiaan Hooghiemstra of Loyens Loeff Luxembourg review the liquidity management tools proposed under the EU’s supervisory standards for the new generation of Eltifs.

In a recent fiscal flourish, Belgian finance minister Vincent Van Peteghem’s tax reform, originally slated for summer passage, gave way to an intriguing end-of-year development: the amendment of the ‘Cayman tax’, approved just before Christmas in the Belgian parliament.