SKAGEN Focus: Looking below the radar to find ESG’s future leaders
Why neglected small-caps driving real-world changes can be the big winners of the green transition.
Morningstar: playing chess with thematic funds rarely leads to profit
Thematic funds have grown significantly in size, number, and prominence globally over the past five years. Despite recent underperformance, these funds seem to maintain a lasting role in investors’ portfolios. Higher costs, greater volatility, and the slim odds of success do not deter investors from chasing popular investment trends.
Private credit: Blackrock said to buy HPS for $12 billion
Blackrock, the world’s largest asset manager, is poised to acquire HPS Investment Partners for approximately 12 billion dollars.
Equities 2025: New avenues
A decisive US election, political ructions in Europe, and the first signs of Chinese fiscal action spell more volatility for stock markets in 2025. And new roads to returns.
Belfius AM considers a return to defence stocks
The war between Russia and Ukraine is prompting European asset managers to reconsider defence stocks, partly at the urging of their clients.
Transfers: HSF, Simpson Thacher set up shop in Luxembourg
International law firms Herbert Smith Freehills and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett have announced plans to establish offices in Luxembourg, aiming to strengthen their presence in the private capital sector.
Sandro Pierri: Good old days in asset management are over
BNP Paribas CEO and Efama president Sandro Pierri stresses that fiduciary duty remains central for European asset managers as the sector grapples with structural challenges, capital outflows, and transformative changes.
Luxembourg: Living parallel lives
Gregory Kennedy reflects on Luxembourg’s unique identity, its state-driven economy, reliance on cross-border workers, and finance-dominated private sector. Is Luxembourg a “real” country?
Off the Beaten Path: Staying True to Dividend Investing
Over the past few years, we have noticed a remarkable shift: the dividend yield of global dividend strategies has been in decline. Increasing exposure to mega-caps with steep valuations has shifted the category away from high dividend yields.
Defense stocks shield Europe against market malaise
The gap between the US and European stock markets has rarely been so wide. This week, the escalation in Ukraine has driven the markets even further apart. One sector, ironically enough, is bravely holding its ground: defense. For investors looking to invest in this sector, there still seems to be ample opportunity, though many grapple with ethical dilemmas.