Chart of the week: The average return does not exist
Every year, I look with some amazement at the annual forecasts from the major financial institutions—particularly the expected returns that sit squarely near the long-term average. You can be almost certain these predictions won’t materialize.
Investors face a tightrope walk in 2025, warns AXA IM
European investors are heading into 2025 with a stark warning: tread carefully. Analysts at Axa Investment Managers (Axa IM) have painted a picture of fragile markets, wavering economies, and thin margins for mistakes.
Universal Investment: Preparing for Dora’s contract challenges
With the Digital Operational Resilience Act deadline looming, Martin Groos explains how financial firms and ICT providers must urgently adapt contracts.
Room for more optimism
These are worrying times. Geopolitically, a new world war seems imminent. The challenges in Europe are so significant that the valuation of European stocks has halved compared to the American markets.
Derailing of Basel III sends investors back to U.S. banks
Donald Trump’s re-election has derailed the proposed stricter Basel III regulations for banks, threatening their implementation for both U.S. and European institutions.
Chart of the week: China’s broken growth model
The financial media are buzzing with stories about the impact of Donald Trump as president, questions surrounding the supposedly high valuation of equities, the collapse of Germany, and the meteoric rise in the price of bitcoin. However, these headlines overshadow the troubling developments in the world’s second-largest economy. It’s time to address that imbalance.
Hugo Lasat steps down at Degroof Petercam, Sylvie Huret new CEO
Degroof Petercam has appointed Sylvie Huret as its new chief executive, succeeding Hugo Lasat, who will step down at the end of 2024 after three years at the helm.
Swap spreads go negative: Should investors ditch swaps for bonds?
Swap rates have fallen below European government bond yields for several weeks—a rare shift that is forcing institutional investors to reconsider their interest rate hedging strategies.
Morningstar: fast-growing Africa still fails to attract investors
The African continent appears to generate little enthusiasm among investors. In fact, the total assets under management in African equity funds are so small that the survival of many funds is in question.
Intesa’s Luxembourg private bank bets big on digital future
Luxembourg-based Intesa Sanpaolo Wealth Management is positioning itself to lead the charge into a new era of digital private banking.