Investors warm up to defence as geopolitical risks rise
Sentiment around defence stocks appears to be on the upswing. Numerous investors previously avoided such investments, yet deglobalisation and geopolitical unrest have made the case for investing in defence more tenable.
EU retail strategy spurs fund industry reflection on value
The amended EU proposals for a retail investment strategy have spurred asset managers to reflect on the value the offer for the money that they take, it beame clear at a Luxembourg discussion at the ALFI conference.
Parts of the fund industry need urgent restructuring
Every now and then, my development team informs me that they need to take a pause from future developments to refactor code. Refactoring is a process where they restructure existing computer code without altering its external behavior.
Over time, small incremental changes to the software’s code base degrade maintainability, readability, and performance. The purpose of refactoring is to enhance code performance without affecting existing functionality, as a clean code base facilitates the addition of new features.
Waystone to provide ManCo services to Alger Management
Waystone Luxembourg on Tuesday said it will provide single-umbrella ManCo and related services to US-based Fred Alger Management’s SICAV range.
The partnership will add 600 million US dollars to Waystone’s AuM, raising it to 2,000 million US dollars and is part of the firm’s international expansion effort in recent years.
‘Energy pragmatism’ keeps Larry Fink’s mind on climate
Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock, the world’s largest asset management firm, on Tuesday addressed investors in his annual letter, focusing on three main issues: the need to reshape the pension and retirement system, the national debt crisis, and the imperative for sustainable investments.
Despite explicitly avoiding the term “ESG”, Fink emphasised the need for investments that consider the environmental impact, albeit through a pragmatic lens that balances decarbonisation with energy security.
Vanguard overtakes BlackRock in US fund ranking
Vanguard has edged past BlackRock to secure the top position in Broadridge Financial Solutions’ 2024 Fund Brand 50 (FB50) rankings for the United States. Vanguard also has emerged as the biggest riser among the FB50 rankings in Europe, where it now is a top-10 fund brand.
At Natixis, active management is back
From Paris, Natixis Investment Managers champions active management against passive giants like BlackRock and Vanguard, despite criticism over missed passive investing opportunities.
It’s ECB watchers time!
As the last vestiges of winter’s chill give way to the vibrant blooms of spring, the financial community turns its gaze to Frankfurt for the annual “ECB and Its Watchers” conference.
The 2024 edition unfolded under the brilliant skies of Europe’s financial nexus, courtesy of Volker Wieland and the Institute for Monetary and Financial Policy. This year marked the 24th instance of Wieland orchestrating this esteemed gathering, which has become a cornerstone event for Europe’s monetary policymakers.
Schroders : Lower mid-PE market offers compelling co-investment opportunities
Schroders Capital : Lower mid- private equity market offers the most compelling co-investment opportunities
Capital Group | Why we believe it’s time to exit cash and move back into bonds
The last few months have seen a significant change in the macroeconomic environment and the market debate has shifted from “how many more rate hikes?”, to “when (and how aggressively) will central banks cut rates?”