Investment Officer Global

At the Weseler Werft, a green strip along the river Main in Frankfurt with a view of the European Central Bank (ECB) headquarters, the music of Strauss, Mendelssohn, and Liszt rang out on August 21. The ECB sponsored the Europa Open Air concert to celebrate European diversity.

This week’s overview of people transfers and appointments includes updates from Allianz Global Investors, A&O Shearman, State Street, Titanbay, and other firms.

Bitcoin Treasury Companies, firms that hold billions of dollars in bitcoin on their balance sheets, are crossing over to Europe. This raises the risk that passive investments, via index funds, could be funneled into one of the most volatile corners of the market.

Recently, Donald Trump urged Goldman Sachs to fire its chief economist. According to the president, he was completely off with his unwelcome forecasts about the effects of the trade war on US inflation. This raises the question of how independent economists at commercial financial institutions really are.

In the world of investment advice, a new player has emerged that leaves traditional analysts behind: the finfluencer. A recent study by Vaibhav Lalwani on financial YouTubers in India reveals fascinating insights into how these unregulated advisers influence markets. Insights that institutional investors cannot afford to ignore.

After the sharp rise in the gold price, silver is also on the move. Specialists expect further gains, pointing to declining confidence in public finances and fiat money.

Strong inflows at Amundi, Natixis, DWS and Allianz show investors’ appetite for income strategies. But equity outflows and margin pressure reveal an industry split between volume growth and conviction.

Europe’s most boring sector is piping hot. Bank stocks are outpacing the S&P500 for the fifth straight year, defying recession fears and fading rate tailwinds. Banking analysts at Schroders and JPMorgan still see room for more gains.