Raymond Frenken

Luxembourg’s financial supervisor CSSF is urging banks, investment funds and the general public in the Grand Duchy to be extra vigilant in relation to money transfers that could finance terrorist groups such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The reminder comes just a month after the world’s top body for fighting money laundering and terrorism finance said the sector’s understanding of terrorism finance is “very low”.

Which public companies do the best rated fund managers want in their portfolios? Researchers at London-based data analysis firm Citywire on Monday released a new data set that shows in which equities the world’s portfolio managers prefer to invest with the highest degree of conviction.

Luxembourg, take the initiative for a European Nasdaq market. Take your expertise in financial structures and pioneer this change, says Finnish VC investor Riku Asikainen, managing partner and founder of Evli Growth Partners, or EGP, which hosts one of Europe’s biggest scale-up breeding grounds.

The industry’s objections to a divisive EU Retail Investment Package are being heard in Brussels, it has become clear in recent weeks. Investors could end up pulling the short straw, critics argue. ABBL says a clearer definition of retail investors is important for private banks and wealth managers.

Though the EU consultation of the much-debated Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation is set to conclude only in December, the outlines of what will be termed as SFDR 2.0 are gradually emerging.

An air of cautious optimism permeated through the halls of the Morningstar’s sustainable investing conference in Amsterdam on Wednesday, painting a subtle yet intricate picture of the obstacle-filled landscape of ESG investing. 

Even Ciaran Fitzpatrick, head of ETF servicing Europe at State Street, is surprised to see phenomenally strong growth in true active ETFs this year. The latest generation of ETF products, also dubbed ‘ETF 3.0’, is rapidly making its way into portfolios of both institutional and retail investors. The US is leading but Europe is not far behind.

Luxembourg is heading to the polls on Sunday. The outcome is anticipated to reaffirm the Grand Duchy’s status as an international financial centre rooted in political stability. Two issues, however, stand out: talents and taxes.

The sustainable finance sector has faced a whirlwind over the past two years, and the storm shows no sign of abating soon. From greenwashing scandals and SFDR downgrades to unreliable ESG data and politicised debates in the US, the landscape is ever-evolving, almost on a daily basis.

Securities supervisors worldwide are looking to coordinate and align their approaches to greenwashing in the investment industry, it became clear on Monday during a panel debate hosted by Iosco, the Madrid-based body that brings together securities regulators from across the world. The debate marked the start of Iosco’s seventh World Investor Week.