Morningstar: AXA versus Jupiter in global high yield bond
Corporate bonds, particularly high yield bonds, had a strong 2025 but portfolio managers remain cautious going into 2026.
Prediction markets prove accurate enough to help investors, German study finds
Academic researchers in Europe and the United States are finding that prices on Polymarket, a fast-growing online prediction market, can track real-world outcomes with surprising accuracy. The findings suggest such platforms could become a useful tool for professional investors.
Emerging markets: from imitators to innovators
Emerging markets have evolved from manufacturing hubs to innovation powerhouses that have the potential to leapfrog established Western competitors.
Why independence matters in asset management: Maxime Carmignac on consolidation, open architecture and culture
The development that some large banks in Europe are closing their doors to open architecture and internalising asset management is good for their margins in the short term but could create a long-term problem. That is what UK CEO Maxime Carmignac of Carmignac said. “Asset management is a different profession, with a different culture and dynamics. We are already seeing that this is starting to work against some banks.”
AXA IM closes biodiversity fund
AXA Investment Managers is shutting down its fund focused on biodiversity due to a lack of investor interest. “We continue to believe in the theme, but from now on within a broader context,” the explanation said.
AI accelerates markets, not volatility
As a growing part of the financial community questions whether artificial intelligence has created a bubble, Fabiana Fedeli takes a different view. The CIO for Equities, Multi-Asset and Sustainability at M&G Investments argues that AI is not the source of a fundamental market imbalance, but rather acts as an accelerator of price adjustments in an environment that has become extremely fast-moving.
Silver breaks with tradition as structural shortages take hold
The silver price appears to be breaking with its traditional pattern. Where the metal has historically followed gold with a delay, silver is now moving more independently and at a faster pace. According to market participants, the recent rally is less a reaction to geopolitical tensions than the result of structural changes in the balance between supply and demand.
The expectations paradox
When everyone expects the same thing, it is time to think differently. A good example comes from Value Line, a company that makes stock market forecasts. They predict higher returns when valuations are low. Individual investors do exactly the opposite.
ETF Snapshot: Finishing the year on a high
European ETFs saw a strong 2025, raising US$373bn (US$98bn in Q4). Equity flows shifted toward EM and Europe, while cash‑focused fixed income and non‑gold commodities drove robust year‑end demand.
Chart of the week: you wouldn’t expect it, would you
An insignificant Danish pension fund dumps all its US Treasuries. Financial media eagerly jump on this headline, because that is not something most investors would just expect. About the underlying structural cause, which has little to do with a president gone off the rails, you hear a lot less.