Investment Officer Netherlands

The “rigid” European business community will have to learn to embrace change to remain internationally competitive. Investment opportunities abound on the old continent, but investors must look beyond its scratched image.

China’s 10-year bond yield has recently dropped below 1.6 percent, a consequence of a weakening economy plagued by deflation. For the first time in 14 years, restrictive monetary policy has shifted towards a moderately expansionary stance. The goal: to support the economy and repair reputational damage.

The concentration risk in equity markets is growing as US megacap technology companies continue to attract capital. Diversification, often seen as the only “free lunch” in investing, risks coming at a cost.

ESG factors are playing an increasingly diminished role in the investment decisions of institutional parties. For the vast majority, short-term performance takes precedence over the long-term benefits of sustainable investing.

The year 2025 is set to be an uncertain one for investors in private markets, with particular concerns surrounding Donald Trump’s political agenda. However, experts also identify opportunities.

2024 was a year of further consolidation in the Belgian private banking market. Many are eager to see what room for manoeuvre Degroof Petercam will have under its new French owner, Indosuez.