Chart of the week: few US jobs, how so?
There was eager anticipation for a new US labor market report. And not only because the flow of macro data from the United States is still lagging as a result of the shutdown. The US labor market is what can still obscure the real reason why rates were cut by another quarter point. But that argument does not hold either.
Morningstar: Comgest vs JPMorgan in Japan largecap growth equity
Morningstar has refined its Japanese equity framework as persistent style dispersion forces investors to reassess growth-focused fund selection in Japan.
Fed and politics
In financial markets, 2026 will not only be a year of economic normalization, but also a test of the institutional fabric of US monetary policy. Renewed political polarization and the approaching expiration of central banker Jerome Powell’s term are creating a rare convergence of uncertainty for the period ahead.
Capital Group | 2026 Investment Outlook
Capital Group’s 2026 Outlook explores tariff uncertainty, high valuations, earnings expectations, and how sticky inflation and weak labor markets shape interest rates.
Robeco: “AI is improving at lightning speed, but it is still in its early stages.”
Artificial intelligence has rapidly climbed to become a leading force in financial markets. Yet according to Mike Chen, Head of Next-Gen Quant Research at Robeco, this is only the beginning. “From a microscopic insect to the intelligence level of a cat in six years. That is how fast AI is evolving. The pace will only accelerate, with far-reaching consequences for markets and for the investment industry itself.”
Geopolitics emerges as a structural market risk in 2026
Geopolitical risk once entered markets through sudden shocks. Going into 2026, leading investment managers and economists see a more persistent source of pressure: structural forces reshaping a world that is fracturing.
Transfers: Chris Allen to step down as CEO at Quintet Private Bank
Luxembourg-headquartered and Qatar-owned Quintet Private Bank has announced a major leadership change.
Europe’s banks have very little room to absorb shocks
Europe’s banks are heading into 2026 with solid balance sheets, but with less room for error. After an unusually long credit cycle, risks are building just as the economic environment becomes more uncertain, according to Scope Ratings’ European Bank Outlook 2026.
Weather aside, Luxembourg is winning over young bankers
Luxembourg is full of opportunities to explore the world of private banking and make your mark, explain two young bankers at Citi. Despite the country’s dreary climate, they highlight the Grand Duchy as an appealing place for young people starting out in the industry.
Europe thé comeback category for 2026, according to asset managers
Around one-third of asset managers active in Europe expect a comeback for European equities in 2026. They consider stocks from the region to be inexpensive and expect the planned large-scale European government investments in areas such as defense and infrastructure to act as a catalyst.