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.
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.
Transfers: Langham Hall, Aviva, DZ Privatbank, Trustmoore, Edmond de Rothschild, Pia Group
This week’s European transfers section includes updates from Langham Hall, Aviva, DZ Privatbank, Trustmoore, Edmond de Rothschild and Pia.
Loyens & Loeff: clarified treatment of Target Funds under Eltif 2.0
Sebastiaan Hooghiemstra and Gabriël Storm at Loyens & Loeff examine the latest EU-level guidance on Target Funds under ELTIF 2.0 and its implications for ELTIF managers and product structuring going forward.
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.
The Great Monetary Illusion: Why equity markets soar in a fragile world
Many investors today look at global equity indices and wonder how markets have risen so sharply over the past two decades in an environment marked by tepid economic growth, recurring geopolitical shocks and rising public debt burdens.
The rise of sales-as-a-service
Financial services firms increasingly test new markets through sales-as-a-service models, relying on experienced industry connectors instead of building costly local teams. Luxembourg’s global ecosystem makes this approach particularly relevant.
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.