Haroon Sheikh: ‘Struggle between great powers has only just begun’
The long-assumed stability of Europe is over. Wars on the periphery, a crumbling system of free world trade, and great powers using economic interdependence as a weapon: the continent is under pressure. “The world in which investors must navigate has become more unpredictable.”
How volatile markets are changing financial advice
Investment advisors are getting better at their jobs, according to the distribution teams at asset managers who work closely with them. They’re using more data, stress-testing portfolios against historical scenarios, and educating their clients more effectively. This leads to more stable behavior among end investors.
Record number new ETFs flood the market
In the first four months of this year, a record number of new ETFs entered the market, with active index funds being particularly popular. “All active asset managers in Europe will switch to ETFs within the next ten years.”
ETF investors lose faith in U.S. and turn to Europe
Investors are pulling out of U.S. equity ETFs en masse, while European trackers are experiencing a record inflow.
Former Kempen team finds adventure at Lightrock
A year after the launch of Lightrock’s first public fund, fund managers Chris Kaashoek and Maarten Vankan say that in 2023, the adventure led them to the British private equity investor. “We were given a unique opportunity to build an asset manager from the ground up.”
Roelof Salomons: ‘Increased frequency of internal memos’
Roelof Salomons hit the ground running when he became Chief Strategist at Blackrock Netherlands exactly six months ago. According to him, we are at a turning point. Capital flows are shifting direction, creating tremendous opportunities for investors in Europe.
Dutch pioneer tests Eltif waters as Benelux momentum lags
Luxembourg may be leading the charge in Eltif launches under the revised framework, but elsewhere in the Benelux they are proving a tougher nut to crack.
Benelux investors increasingly turning to private markets
Institutional investors in the Benelux region plan to allocate more capital to private markets this year.
Robeco’s head of ETFs, Nick King: Investors miss out on returns in the early phase of a theme
The range of active ETFs in Europe is growing rapidly and Robeco is also investing heavily in the development of this asset class. The Rotterdam-based fund house brought in Nick King from Fidelity to roll out its ETF strategy, resulting in the launch of four equity ETFs last autumn. In 2025, the focus will be on bonds.
Esma: Further research needed for a better understanding of fund costs
Esma acknowledges that further research is necessary to obtain a more complete picture of the costs of European investment funds. The European regulator made this statement following criticism from industry association Efama regarding a recent Esma report on these costs.