Investing

Despite growing optimism about investment conditions, the latest Goldman Sachs Asset Management survey indicates that a majority of investors still view private equity as too expensive.

Inflation concerns continue to shape market predictions. “For three months, we witnessed impressive figures, but then oil prices spiked unexpectedly. This isn’t a fleeting issue,” commented Mary Pieterse-Bloem, chief investment officer of Rabobank, in the CIO Debate at Investment Officer’s 16th Fondsevent conference in the Netherlands on Monday.

The ambition of the financial sector to further democratise private markets is not yet convincingly reflected in practice.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s recent announcement that U.S. interest rates will hold steady at 5.25% to 5.5% has sparked a debate among investment professionals about what would be best for asset owners: a “soft landing” or a full-blown recession?

Panel discussions at Alfi’s Global Distribution Conference on Wednesday exposed differing viewpoints on the definition of a retail investor, casting a shadow over prospects for success for the next generation of European Long-Term Investment Funds, or Eltifs.

Registrations of reserved alternative investment funds took a very relaxed late-summer break during August, quietening to a level last seen early in the Raif product’s history — in January 2019. Only 15 new funds were registered during the month, according to data from Luxembourg Business Registers analysed by Investment Officer.

Market participants are bracing for an unexpected — and for a long time, unthinkable — interest rate hike by the Bank of Japan (BoJ). In an interview on Saturday, BoJ Governor Kazuo Ueda indicated that he is considering raising rates “provided wages and prices continue to rise sustainably.”

Pension funds are keen for asset managers to increase allocations to India, some advocating for a 20% allocation in their emerging markets portfolio. India’s growth trajectory could potentially eclipse China’s, given its focus on the service sector rather than manufacturing. At its European Media Forum on Friday, Edinburgh-based Baillie Gifford also acknowledged burgeoning opportunities in Latin America and Indonesia, particularly due to the increasing connectivity and the unfolding global energy transition.

Reserved alternative investment fund registrations (Raifs) in July continued a moderate recovery from a slowdown earlier this year, with 31 new Raifs added to the Luxembourg Business Register list.

Chinese growth is disappointing. Global asset managers are liquidating large parts of their equity positions in the country, resulting in falling share prices. It seems like a godsend for bargain hunters, but passionate China investors are also on their toes.

China is not growing fast enough, so investors have been liquidating their positions in Chinese stocks at an unprecedented rate.