Max Severijns

The spread on French government bonds has peaked again, showing that financial markets are on edge ahead of Sunday’s elections. Until they conclude later in July, many investors are favouring other European government bonds. “Any reminder of the European debt crisis is a red flag for international investors,” one analyst remarked.

European family offices are taking advantage of falling US real estate prices, seeking opportunities in prime office spaces and “trophy assets” despite market instability.

Research by Ludovic Phalippou of Oxford University reveals that Benelux pension funds are the third largest sponsors of performance bonuses for US private equity firms.

Ultra-rich families are increasingly casting their eye on sports as an asset class. According to Goldman Sachs, interest is fuelled by rising valuations and lucrative media contracts.

The SEC’s push for transparency in private markets was dealt a severe blow by a U.S. court ruling last week.

As the US presidential election nears, the bond market braces for a potential resurgence of the “bond vigilantes.” Investment Officer spoke to the man who coined the term, Edward Yardeni.

Amid a surge in global wealth, Luxembourg is bolstering its efforts to retain its edge over Ireland as the premier European hub for American asset distribution. The country’s recent strategic push, highlighted by high-profile events in Boston and New York, aims to capitalise on the surge in alternative financing strategies.

From Tuesday, US trades of stocks, bonds and ETFs will need to be settled within a single day, not two, presenting significant challenges to European funds dealing in US securities.

Speaking at an ALFI event in New York, the U.S. Securities and Exchanges Commission, SEC, and Luxembourg financial supervisor CSSF have jointly voiced significant concerns about “increasingly complicated fee structures” in the fund industry, warning that these practices may be obscuring the true costs for investors. 

Brendan Ballou’s book “Plunder” exposes how private equity firms, like Carlyle, harm businesses and evade legal responsibility, despite promising high returns. In this interview, Ballou discusses the alarming frequency and impact of these practices.