Investment Officer Luxembourg

Equity, bond, and mixed collective investment schemes (UCITS) have achieved annual net returns of 7.6%, 2.3%, and 3%, respectively, over the period 2010- 2019. These positive returns contrast with the 1% loss on bank deposits.

Only the first statement is certain. The first half of 2021 has gone by so quickly that we haven’t had a chance to pay proper attention to all the exciting economic and financial developments. Economic indicators have shown unprecedented recovery in both the U.S. and Europe in the first six months of 2021, resulting in exponential growth expectations for corporate earnings on both sides of the Atlantic. The European industrial outlook, in particular, is taking off.

In certain sectors, the correlations between equities and bonds are turning positive (again). That is a serious challenge for asset allocators.There is usually a negative correlation between the performance of stocks and bonds. But since the pandemic, a number of sectors, such as tech, consumer and communications, have seen a positive correlation, a recent study by Fidelity International found.

Of the €141bn net subscriptions into Luxembourg funds in 2020, two-thirds were attributed to sustainable funds. This compares to 44% for the rest of Europe. A recently-published survey* commissioned by ALFI gives greater insight into the ESG investing revolution.

“All mutual funds become ETFs”, Detlef Glow, head of research at Lipper, wrote recently. Only passive and “real” active remain. Considering the inflow of over 500 billion dollars in the first six months into passive, that sounds plausible. But aren’t Lipper missing something? Passive and the hottest topic of the moment - ESG - do not go well together.

One of the most important functions of a financial system is to bring together people with an abundance and a shortage of capital. Financial markets can efficiently bring innovative companies and investors together. This has a positive effect on the real economy – think of employment and competition (in the form of lower consumer prices). 

Green indices reduce the carbon footprint of investment portfolios, but their added value is currently limited in terms of managing the financial risks of climate change. Only in the event of a disorderly climate transition would there any demonstrable outperformance.  

Sachin Vankalas, the Managing Director of LuxFlag, has passed away unexpectedly. The LuxFlag Board of Directors and the LuxFlag team are deeply saddened to learn of the sudden passing of Vankalas, the organization said in a brief press release. 

The general manager of LuxFlag, Luxembourg’s sustainable finance lobby group, has died of Covid-19 after battling the disease in hospital, a spokesperson confirmed. Vankalas, who worked at LuxFlag for 10 years, died at the age of 38.