Asset Owner

The European Commission has set out yet another grand vision for Europe’s capital markets. Behind the lofty rhetoric, the plan leaves a familiar set of unresolved questions.

Investing is rarely straightforward. And with an unpredictable individual at the helm of the world’s most influential country, it certainly doesn’t get any easier. However, to consistently dismiss the man as ‘dumb’ as a coping strategy is far too simplistic. You can say many (unpleasant) things about Donald Trump, but ‘dumb’ is not necessarily one of them.

The Luxembourg Sustainable Finance Initiative (LSFI) has launched its Luxembourg Sustainable Finance Strategy 2030, outlining its vision for advancing sustainable finance in the country over the next five years.

Allocation funds have fallen out of favour with investors since their weak performance in 2022, and in 2023, the classic equity-bond mix portfolio was even declared dead in some quarters. This proved premature, as these portfolios have performed well in recent years.

With global markets being shaken by Donald Trump, asset managers and strategists are advocating quality stocks and diversified portfolios, with a particular focus on European blue-chip stocks known as ‘Granolas’ to weather potential disruptions.

This week’s transfers and people news comes from Allianz Global Investors, Invesco, Value & Risk, and Banco Bradesco Europa.

Standard Chartered has launched a new entity in Luxembourg to serve as its European regulatory base for digital asset custody, appointing industry veteran Laurent Marochini as its CEO.

European stock exchanges are becoming increasingly reliant on selling market data to offset declining trading revenues, a trend that industry experts warn could hinder market growth and innovation.

Despite scepticism, JPMorgan dominates Europe’s active ETF market, proving that alpha is possible—leaving rivals trailing as investors seek outperformance in a booming yet contested space.

Luxembourg’s CSSF has issued its first SFDR compliance sanction, marking a shift to enforcement. Asset managers, take note—ESG disclosures must be accurate, clear, and aligned with investment policies, write Claire Guilbert and Cyril Clugnac at Norton Rose Fulbright.