Raymond Frenken

Luxembourg’s private equity services business of Partners Group, which accounts for more than a third of its revenue, held up well last year in what otherwise was a challenging year for the Swiss-based firm.

Partners Group on Tuesday reported that its revenue from management services in Luxembourg rose 2.3 percent last year to 684.5 million Swiss francs (710 million euro).

As European skies darken with the storm clouds of geopolitical tensions, particularly the shadow cast by Russia’s war against Ukraine, a stark dilemma has emerged on the horizon for the continent’s asset managers. This quandary, deeply rooted in the ethos of sustainable investment principles, challenges the very fabric of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) advocacy. The question that now looms large is whether investments in the defence industry can be harmonised with the steadfast commitment to sustainability.

The European Long-Term Investment Fund (Eltif) stands out as a valuable and potentially crucial instrument for financing Europe’s energy transition, according to the chief executive of the Luxembourg Fund Industry Association (Alfi), Serge Weyland. In an interview, he underscored the Eltif’s unique ability to channel new capital into projects with long-term sustainability objectives and said made clear that he would welcome EU-level fiscal stimuli for this specific type of Eltif.

An industry group backed by leading asset managers in Europe wants to shed light on the significant lack of diversity within the European asset management industry. The research project has been initiated by the Diversity Project Europe, an initiative of eight leading asset managers established last year, and is supported by PwC Switzerland. 

Eurozone finance ministers have put forth a five-year blueprint to forge a robust Capital Markets Union (CMU) in what they see as an “ambitious” move to enhance private capital flow into Europe and underpin Europe’s costly shift to a sustainable and digital economy. 

Investors in European Ucits funds have seen a notable decrease in fees over the past few years. Nonetheless, the largest US mutual funds continue to offer the lowest fees.

In an industry where performance is king, KKR has thrown down the gauntlet, claiming a victory in the long game of investment over the iconic Berkshire Hathaway fund. This bold assertion by the 553 billion dollar private equity behemoth not only challenges the storied legacy of Warren Buffett. It also sparks a fiery debate on the true measures of success in the high-stakes world of private investments.

Ireland on Monday took a step towards challenging Luxembourg’s dominance as hub for European Long-Term Investment Funds, known as Eltifs. Ireland will have three distinct categories of these funds, distinguishing professional investor Eltifs, qualified investor Eltifs, and for retail investor Eltifs.

The European Commission wants to abandon plans for a mandatory, 12-month redemption notice period for the second generation of European Long-Term Investment Funds, Eltifs. Meanwhile, Ireland is getting ready to challenge Luxembourg’s dominance in the European Eltif market.

As its market value surpasses two trillion dollars, investment analysts praise Nvidia’s vision and operational prowess. The meteoric rise of Nvidia, the AI hardware manufacturer dubbed on Wall Street as ‘the most important stock in the world’, does have elements of surprise.