Shipping slows as fuel costs surge, credit strain spreads
Global shipping is slowing as surging fuel costs and mounting risks in the Persian Gulf begin to strain the industry’s finances, forcing companies to cut speeds, seek emergency credit and rethink whether voyages are still viable.
Morningstar: Blackrock versus MFS Meridian in global small- and mid-cap equity
A strong start to the year for smallcaps does not guarantee outperformance in 2026.
Alternatives form cornerstone of BNP Paribas AM growth strategy
BNP Paribas Asset Management expects its alternatives division to grow by 5 to 6 percent annually and to consolidate its leading position in Europe. The asset manager said it is barely affected by the negative sentiment surrounding private credit.
Laffers lijntje
De signalen dat burgers en bedrijven bereid zijn om hun land te verlaten als de belastingdruk maar hoog genoeg wordt, nemen zienderogen toe. Daarmee duwt een reeds 50 jaar oude economische theorie, die lange tijd als nietszeggend hersenspinseltje werd weggezet, zich pontificaal in de schijnwerpers.
European banks aren’t overexposed to the Middle East, but their borrowers might be
European banks have little direct exposure to the Middle East, says European credit rating agency Scope. However, as tensions in the region threaten to push up energy prices and slow economic growth, the risks for lenders may emerge elsewhere: in the balance sheets of the companies they finance.
The rise of AI may make smallcap outperformance harder
Machine learning is increasingly used to identify inefficiencies in small- and midcap markets. But as more investors adopt the same technology, it could make generating alpha more difficult.
Playing with the optimal investment mix
An unprecedented wealth transfer is underway. Over the next two decades, an estimated 124,000 billion dollar in assets will shift globally from the baby boomer generation to younger generations.
Emerging markets holding up amid strong dollar - for now
Markets still assume that the war in the Middle East will not escalate into a prolonged conflict, and that is good news for investments in emerging markets. After the initial attacks by the US and Israel on Iran, several markets in Asia and South America took significant hits, but over the past two weeks they have shown resilience.
Shake-out in active management not over says M&G
The shake-out in active asset management is far from finished, even as some firms regain momentum in the battle for investor flows, according to Joseph Pinto, chief executive of M&G Investments.
Chart of the week: the hidden cost of Trump’s war
The price of a barrel of crude oil surged past the $100 mark as the situation in the Middle East escalated further. A small price to pay, according to the president of the United States. Yet I suspect Trump is taking too narrow a view of the true cost of this new military intervention – if he is even considering those costs at all.