Le groupe italien de gestion d’actifs a trouvé un accord avec l’autorité fiscale italienne qui contestait, sur les années entre 2001 et 2013, les critères utilisés par la société pour la détermination des prix de transfert des relations intragroupe. Azimut devra payer 117,8 millions d’euros se répartissant entre 105,9 millions d’euros d’impôts et de pénalités et des intérêts pour 11,9 millions.
Emergence, Fonds de Place pour l'incubation et le développement de sociétés de gestion entrepreneuriales et NewAlpha Asset Management, annoncent la signature d'un partenariat avec Financière Arbevel, nouvel investissement du compartiment Actions de la Sicav Emergence.
L'ancien directeur général de Lyxor Asset Management vient en effet de rejoindre MSCI en qualité de «managing director» et responsable mondial de la couverture client («Global Head of Client Coverage»).
Si l’offre produits et services est complète et performante, la commercialisation “n’est tout simplement pas à la hauteur”, a admit Andrea Rossi (photo), directeur général d’Axa IM, dans Newsmanagers. La réorganisation commerciale est selon lui une étape pour réussir le développement à l'international.
François Marbeck, directeur du portefeuille de diversification de La Banque Postale a indiqué à la rédaction que La Banque Postale avait souscrit à deux fonds de dette mezzanine, intégrés au sein de la poche private equity, qui représente environ 10% de son allocation. Par ailleurs, notons que La Banque Postale souhaite investir dans les fonds infrastructures à hauteur de 5 à 10 millions d’euros. Pour revoir le replay du tchat avec François Marbeck, cliquez ici
Le ministre des Finances, Michel Sapin, a annoncé lundi une série de mesures censées renforcer l’attractivité de la place financière de Paris. Sur le financement des entreprises, Bercy souhaite davantage mobiliser l'épargne placée sur les fonds de retraite complémentaire pour qu’elle soit investie en actions. Une première étape a été lancée avec la modification des textes régissant les règles d’investissement de l’Erafp effective fin 2014. Selon Michel Sapin, ce changement devrait permettre à cet organisme d’investir 5 milliards d’euros supplémentaires en actions d’ici 2020, dont 0,5 Md€ en actions non cotées et 0,5 Md€ en instruments non cotés de dette (de type fonds de prêts à l’économie ou dette non cotée de manière générale). La part actions de l’Erafp serait ainsi portée de 25% à 40%. Bercy veut également créer un label «ISR» (investissement socialement responsable) et favoriser l'émergence de fonds de capital-investissement suffisamment dotés pour investir entre 50 et 200 millions d’euros dans des PME et ETI en croissance. Au niveau européen, Sapin souhaite que la France joue «un rôle central» dans la mise en place d’une union européenne des marchés de capitaux, notamment face aux Britanniques.
Axa Investment Managers (AXA IM) annonce aujourd’hui la réorganisation de ses équipes fixed income et structured finance avec la création d’un nouveau département rassemblant les deux expertises. La nouvelle structure, dirigée par John Porter, responsable mondial fixed income & structured finance, «est nettement simplifiée», selon Axa IM. «Elle vise à mieux répondre aux attentes des clients en matière d’investissement et facilite l’intégration de produits structurés dans des titres obligataires classiques», indique un communiqué du groupe.
State Street Global Advisors (SSGA) a annoncé aujourd’hui la nomination de Rory Tobin au poste nouvellement créé de directeur de la distribution en Europe, sous la direction de Mike Karpik, responsable de SSGA pour l’Europe, le Moyen-Orient et l’Afrique. Ex-responsable mondial du groupe investissements et solutions chez Barclays AM, Rory Tobin aura pour mission de diriger et de développer à partir de Londres l’activité de distribution auprès des investisseurs institutionnels et des intermédiaires.
Mercer a annoncé, sous réserve des autorisations réglementaires, avoir conclu un accord définitif pour l’acquisition de SCM Strategic Capital Management, spécialiste du non coté basé en Suisse qui fournit du conseil et des solutions de gestion déléguée. «Cette acquisition renforcera encore les moyens de Mercer dans les investissements alternatifs», souligne le groupe de conseil, qui dit gérer 13 milliards de dollars en alternatif sur un total de 108 milliards à fin septembre.
Un accord relatif à une taxe sur les transactions financières (TTF) dans 11 Etats de l’Union européenne est peu probable avant la fin de l’année, montre un document européen dévoilé lundi et cité par Reuters. Le document émanant de l’Italie, qui assure la présidence de l’Union européenne, énumère les désaccords au sein du groupe des 11 et ne fait aucune mention de propositions en vue d’un compromis. «Des travaux supplémentaires seront nécessaires», lit-on dans le texte, qui donne un nouveau coup de frein à un projet soutenu notamment par la France et l’Allemagne.
A la suite de la consultation publique sur les propositions d’un nouveau cadre des introductions en Bourse, l’Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) publie lundi le dispositif final approuvé par son Collège. L’ensemble des modifications apportées devraient être mises en oeuvre au plus tard à la fin du 1er trimestre 2015. Ces nouvelles mesures «doivent permettre d’offrir aux acteurs un dispositif français compétitif, en phase avec les pratiques internationales, tout en continuant d’associer les particuliers aux introductions en Bourse», souligne l’AMF.
p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; }a:link { } In October, financial adviser networks in Italy recorded net inflows of EUR2bn, a growth of 25.3% since September, and 54% since October 2013, according to the latest statistics from Assoreti, the Italian financial adviser association. Net inflows to asset management products totals slightly under EUR1.6bn, while the balance of movements to products under administration is positive to the tune of EUR439m. In asset management, investments have continued to be concentrated on insurance products (EUR1.4bn). Mutual funds have received only EUR13.8m.
The combined assets of UCITS and non-UCITS surpassed the EUR 11 trillion mark for the first time ever to end the quarter at EUR 11,057 billion, according to the European Fund and Asset Management Association (EFAMA). UCITS recorded increased net inflows of EUR 130 billion in the third quarter of 2014, up from EUR 126 billion in the second quarter of the year. This marked the third successive quarter of UCITS net sales surpassing the EUR 100 billion mark. So far in 2014, UCITS attracted EUR 405 billion in net inflows, more than double the EUR 178 billion attracted over the same period in 2013.Long-term UCITS, i.e. UCITS excluding money market funds, continued to register strong net inflows of EUR 117 billion, albeit down compared to EUR 148 billion in the second quarter. Demand for bond funds remained high in the third quarter (EUR 47 billion compared to EUR 56 billion in the second quarter). Net sales of balanced funds also posted strong net inflows during the quarter (EUR 52 billion compared to EUR 56 billion in the second quarter). On the other hand, equity fund net sales fell to EUR 14 billion, from EUR 24 billion in the second quarter, owing to rising geopolitical and economic uncertainties during the quarter.Money market funds posted net inflows of EUR 13 billion in the third quarter, against net outflows of EUR 22 billion recorded in the second quarter. Total net assets of UCITS increased by 4.3 percent during the third quarter to stand at EUR 7,807 billion at end September 2013. Net assets of balanced funds increased 5.9 percent during the quarter, followed by bond funds with growth of 4.7 percent. Total net assets of non-UCITS increased by 3.1 percent in the third quarter to stand at EUR 3,250 billion at end September 2013. Assets of special funds reserved to institutional investors grew by 3.3 percent during the quarter.
p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; }a:link { } According to data released on 28 November by the Irish Funds Industry Association (IFIA), assets in funds domiciled in Ireland reached a record EUR1.6trn as of 30 September 2014, up by 19% since 1 January 2014. Assets under management in UCITS funds rose 22%, while assets in Qualifying Investor Alternative Investment Funds (QIAIF) were up 27% in the first nine months of the year. This strong growth was driven largely by the launch of more than 500 funds in the country since the beginning of the year. Better, as of the end of September 2014, net inflows had doubled since the same period in 2013, with a total of EUR113bn, of which EUR93bn were for UCITS vehicles, and EUR20bn for hedge funds.
p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; }a:link { } BNP Paribas Investment Partners has added to the product range from its Luxembourg Sicav, with the addition of the Parvest Flexible Bond Euro sub-fund. The new fund, which invests in European bonds, is managed flexibly. The sub-fund is aimed at retail investors, has no benchmark, and aims to generate long-term returns, allowing the manager to adapt the allocation of the portfolio to varying market conditions. The management of the sub-fund has already been registered in several European countries, including Belgium, France, Luxembourg and Italy, and has been entrusted to Patrick Barbe, head of euro sovereign and aggregage managemement.
Artemis Investment Management has appointed James Martinelli as head for France and Spain. The asset manager has already appointed James Young as head of German speaking countries. James Martinelli joined Artemis IM in 2006 to grow international clients. He was responsible of long only and hedge funds clients.
p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; }a:link { } The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) and its partner Goodman Group have announced an addition investment of USD500m in their Chinese joint venture, Goodman China Logistics Holding. USD400m will come from tbe CPPIB, while Goodman will supply the rest. With the addition of this investment, the total staked by the two partners now comes to USD2bn, a sum which “will be allocated to investment in logistical areas of top quality in continental China, and their development,” the two firms say in a statement. This is the fourth additional investment by the partners in Goodman China Logistics Holding since its creation. The joint venture, founded in 2009 with initial capital of USD300m, has already invested in 27 logistical projects in 10 Chinese markets. Its portfolio represents an occupancy rate of 97%.
Partnering with local managers looks to be an ongoing theme for foreign asset managers who are genuinely interested in establishing a footprint in Asia. Business models that work well in Western countries tend not to work in Asia, according to Cerulli. Foreign managers seeking to establish a footprint in Asia should assess how they can forge partnerships with local players in order to gain access to retail investors.One type of partnership that is often neglected is the partnership that managers have with end-investors. With mutual fund penetration rates so low in Asia, managers will do well to consider how to best engage retail investors too. Based on a recent Cerulli survey of about 4,000 retail investors in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore, there is a lack of awareness of mutual funds at the lower wealth tiers and the upper wealth tiers. Some 43% of mass retail investors and nearly 40% of high-net-worth investors are not investing in mutual funds, because they do not know what mutual funds are, and probably have not heard of them before. This has contributed to a mutual fund penetration rate, measured as a percentage of household financial assets, of only 5% in Asia.It is not ideal, and the time is ripe for foreign managers to build partnerships with end-investors, in order to raise mutual fund penetration rates in the region.
Depuis son arrivée à la tête d'Axa IM l'année dernière, Andrea Rossi a accéléré le développement à l'international de la société de gestion, véritable leitmotiv du groupe. Le dirigeant détaille ici le plan de bataille qu'il entend poursuivre pour asseoir la marque de sa maison au niveau mondial, sans éluder les points que la société de gestion doit encore améliorer. A commencer par le "faire savoir" de son "savoir-faire". Une ambition qui passe aussi par une réorganisation des forces commerciales d'Axa IM, dont l'objectif est de conduire à une meilleure connaissance des besoins de ces clients.
p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; }a:link { } Pioneer Investments is preparing to found a new company in Hong Kong, Pioneer Global Hong Kong, Bluerating reports, citing Il Messaggero. The objective is to obtain a license in time for first quarter 2015 to sell funds, raise capital for third parties and provide financial advising. According to plans at Pioneer, which has EUR140bn in assets, the Chinese arm of the firm is expected to complete 2015 with net subscriptions of nearly EUR100bn, and 2019 with about EUR650m. The dead point is expected to be reached in 2016. Pioneer Global AM will finance the launch of the firm with EUR5m.
p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; }a:link { } Deutsche Börse has announced the launch on the same day of a new actively-managed bond ETF issued by Pimco Fixed Income Source ETFS Plc and listed for trading on the Xetra platform from 28 November. The Pimco Low Duration Euro Corporate Bond Source Ucits ETF allows investors to benefit from the returns on corporate bonds issued in euros. At least 90% of its investment portfolio consists of investment grade corporate bonds denominated in euros. Up to 20% of the assets in the fund may be invested in emerging markets. Currency risk may total up to 10% due to investment in corporate bonds not denominated in euros.
p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; }a:link { } Allianz Global Investors has announced that as of 25 November 2014, two funds of its range have been merged. The Allianz Inflationsschutz A (EUR) (LU0202944186) fund has been merged into the Allianz Global Investors Fund - Allianz Euro Inflation-linked Bond A (EUR) (LU0988442017).
p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; }a:link { } The combined wealth of about 300 of the richest families and individuals in Switzerland continued to increase this year. It is estimated at CHF671.7bn, CHF44m more than in 2013, according to the rankings published on 28 November by Bilan magazine. At EUR671.7bn, the combined wealth of the families and individuals in the Bilan rankings are not far off reaching equivalence with the annual gross domestic product (GDP) of Switzerland. Of the 350 people in the Bilan survey, the wealth of 250 remained stable, the economic magazine explains. For 56 more, the movement was upward; 32 of these are already billionaires. The 2014 edition of the rankings lists 153 billionaires. Eight new members have joined this ultra-rich class.