Investing

Two weeks ago, we wrote that gold was poised to skyrocket. Last week, it took its biggest hit in a decade. Markets have a way of humbling both investors and journalists, and few assets do it as reliably as the yellow metal.

DWS is stepping up its ambitions in private credit, focusing on asset-based finance — lending and investment strategies secured by collateral such as real estate, infrastructure or receivables. The Frankfurt-based assetmanager is building a specialised platform to capture what it sees as the next phase of growth in Europe’s alternative investment market.

Growth in the sustainable bond market has stalled, but experts don’t foresee refinancing issues. The demand for green debt securities remains high.

As commercial director at Baloise Vie Luxembourg, Tine Vanmassenhove guides wealthy Belgians through the world of Luxembourg investments. The grand duchy has undeniable advantages, she says, though these are now most pronounced for larger fortunes.

Lucienne Andring of Banque de Luxembourg champions a new era in private banking, where wealth transfer becomes a family dialogue, not a transaction.

Disrupted supply chains, volatile market conditions, and lagging investments have made investing in the water theme challenging. In recent years, European investors have withdrawn billions from water funds.

As active ETFs grow beyond niche status, some of the last traditionally active managers, including Columbia Threadneedle and M&G, are entering the European market with strategies that blend research conviction and daily oversight.

Since President Trump began his second term, the US government has increasingly taken stakes in companies considered strategically important for national security. Investors are worried about what this means for market efficiency, but in the short term they are profiting from rising stock prices.

“Automation must not strip the soul out of asset management: artificial intelligence should support compliance, not replace human expertise,” said Luke Varley, general counsel at Park Square Capital LLP, during last week’s Alfi conference Synergies for Asset Management in London.

The world’s number one US growth manager, according to Citywire’s manager rankings, says fundamentals still rule, even as bubble talk grows louder. He’d rather put his trust in God.