Chart of the week: is this our umpteenth last chance?
Even before stock market trading in March had really gotten underway, we already knew this month would end up in the history books. You also have to be particularly creative now to write a column that does not touch on what is happening in the Middle East. So here is the expected topic, but with a twist.
Morningstar: Invesco vs Cartesio in EUR cautious allocation
Investors continue to shun EUR cautious allocation funds as fixed income regained popularity.
Fear of higher inflation dampens optimism around bonds
A large share of the bond markets currently offers yields that look attractive, above the magical threshold of 4 percent. But the war in the Middle East is fueling fears that inflation could move in that direction as well, which would erode much of the real return.
What’s driving the gold price? … and other important questions
Gold recently hit record highs before pulling back. Supportive conditions persist but volatility may rise. Gold has historically offered long‑term value and a cushion in volatile markets. Physical gold ETPs provide simple price exposure.
The end of US exceptionalism? Not quite.
For more than a century, it has been “very unwise” for investors to position themselves against the United States, according to professor Paul Marsh of London Business School. The US is likely to remain dominant in terms of market size in the future, but its outperformance may well be coming to an end, he argues.
Today, US equities account for nearly two thirds of global market capitalization, and the world’s largest bond market sits in the same jurisdiction.
Transfers: DLA Piper, RBC Bluebay, HSFK, JP Morgan AM, Anthos, Blackrock
This week’s people update includes news from law firms DLA Piper and Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, as well as appointments at RBC Bluebay, JP Morgan Asset Management, Anthos and Blackrock.
La Française: favorable winds for growth
Written by François Rimeu, Senior Strategist, Crédit Mutuel Asset Management
Investors reassess strategic asset allocation as negative correlation returns
With the restoration of the negative correlation between equities and bonds, the structure of strategic asset allocation is once again under debate among asset owners and asset managers. Was the shift away from the traditional 60/40 portfolio towards a permanent allocation to private markets a lasting course correction — or merely a temporary response to an extraordinary period? Investment Officer spoke to four leading investment professionals.
CSSF tightens ESG supervision as EU rulebook shifts
Luxembourg’s financial regulator has updated its supervisory priorities for sustainable finance for 2026, reinforcing scrutiny of sustainability disclosures, governance frameworks and portfolio alignment across the financial sector.
Negative Swiss rates back in focus as Franc surges
The sharp rise in the Swiss franc following U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran has brought an issue back into focus that many believed had been settled: negative interest rates in Switzerland.