La Fed affûte ses outils en vue de la normalisation de sa politique monétaire
Le comité de la Fed a donné tous pouvoirs à sa présidente pour juger de l'opportunité de substituer le taux «reverse repo» aux actuels Fed funds
La correction de l’appétit pour risque est derrière nous
Le graphique ci-contre montre l'évolution de l’appétit pour le risque, mesuré par la corrélation de rang entre les rendements des facteurs de risque et la volatilité qui leur est associée. Si la corrélation est positive, l’aversion pour le risque a baissé ; si la corrélation est négative, elle a augmenté.
Des alphas qui ont permis de protéger la performance
Les tableaux ci-contre présentent les meilleures et plus mauvaises performances en euros des fonds sur le marché des fonds actions américaines et le marché des fonds actions françaises au cours du mois de janvier 2014. Ces performances sont mises en perspective par le calcul de la volatilité, du ratio de Sharpe sur trois ans d’historique, ainsi que du rendement depuis un an.
Les économistes restent plutôt confiants sur les perspectives de reprise en zone euro
Après les chiffres de croissance meilleurs qu'attendu au dernier trimestre, les indices PMI en léger recul ne suffisent pas à dissiper l'optimisme
Les actifs des hedge funds asiatiques en hausse de 16% en 2013
Asian Investor, qui reprend des statistiques d’Eurekahedge, indique que les actifs des hedge funds asiatiques ont progressé l’an dernier de 16,3% pour atteindre 147 milliards de dollars. La progression des encours est due à la performance positive des marchés pour un montant de 10 milliards de dollars et à une collecte nette de 10,6 milliards de dollars. Le secteur a enregistré l’an dernier 143 lancements de fonds et 109 fermetures.
Bruxelles affiche sa sérénité sur le Portugal
Selon la Commission européenne, le programme de renflouement du Portugal suit globalement son cours et la reprise économique semble se solidifier même si des risques importants, surtout légaux, persistent. Ce constat se fonde sur son résumé du 10e examen du pays, qui s’est déroulé du 4 au 16 décembre, et sa publication jeudi coïncide avec le début de l’avant-dernier examen par ses bailleurs de fonds.
Fitch pourrait placer l'Autriche sous surveillance négative
L’agence de notation pourrait placer dans la journée l’Autriche sous surveillance avec implication négative en raison des coûts liés à l’assainissement du bilan de la banque nationalisée Hypo Alpe Adria, a rapporté Reuters de source financière. Un placement sous surveillance avec implication négative signifie que la note de crédit de l’Autriche risquerait d'être abaissée d’un cran au cours de l’année ou des deux années qui suivent.
Moscou suspend son programme d'aide financière à l'Ukraine
Moscou a clairement établi un lien jeudi entre le déblocage d’une nouvelle tranche d’aide de 2milliards de dollars en faveur de l’Ukraine et le retour au calme à Kiev où les affrontements entre militants et policiers ont fait plus de 50 morts depuis mardi matin. Le Premier ministre russe Dmitri Medvedev a expliqué que la Russie ne pourrait traiter qu’avec «des autorités légitimes et compétentes, un gouvernement sur lequel le peuple ne s’essuie pas les pieds comme sur un paillasson». Une manière d’exhorter le président ukrainien Viktor Ianoukovitch à faire preuve de fermeté face aux manifestants.
Amundi Immobilier a accru ses activités l'an dernier
Au cours de l’année 2013, Amundi Immobilier a réalisé, pour le compte des véhicules réglementés qu’elle gère, SCPI et OPCI, un volume global de transactions de 776 millions d’euros en France et à l’international, dont 646 millions d’acquisitions et 130 millions de cessions. Ce résultat s’inscrit en progression de 13 % par rapport à l’activité 2012.
Les superviseurs font un point d'étape sur la réforme de l'Euribor
Les autorités européennes de supervision des banques (EBA) et des marchés (Esma) ont publié jeudi un rapport d'étape sur la réforme des indices de référence Euribor. Elles estiment que l’Euribor-EBF, qui administre les indices, a fait des «progrès significatifs» dans la mise en oeuvre de cette réforme, avec quatre recommandations totalement appliquées et six autres qui sont en train de l'être.
Les obligations grecques rapportent gros à la BCE
La BCE a indiqué aujourd’hui avoir dégagé un résultat net de 1,44 milliard d’euros sur l’année 2013, en hausse par rapport aux 995 millions enregistrés en 2012. Sur ce montant, le produit net d’intérêt provenant des titres achetés dans le cadre du programme SMP se monte à 962 millions d’euros, dont 437 millions générés par les avoirs de la BCE en obligations d’État grecques.
20/02/2014
Regulations increase pressure for outsourcing
Regulation is pushing more groups to outsource key functions, but the direction is not all one way. Some asset management houses are outsourcing to fund managers too. Discretionary portfolio managers will benefit as commission-based models crumble, according to the latest edition of The Cerulli Edge-Europe Edition."What is remarkable about our regulation survey findings is the consistency of what is being outsourced most for different bits of legislation,» commented Angelos Gousios, a Cerulli senior analyst. «The AIFMD is very different to EMIR, FATCA (not even a European set of rules), or MiFID II, but updating technology and document production (those key information documents) are the functions most likely to be outsourced"Outsourced fund selection is also growing. This is particularly true in the United Kingdom following implementation of the Retail Distribution Review (RDR)."Even if MiFID II does not result in a commission ban, if the French get their way, other countries may still follow the United Kingdom with their own domestic rules,» said Barbara Wall, Europe research director at Cerulli. «If so, asset managers spy a pan-European opportunity. Advisors will not want to select funds for clients, so they will outsource.»
20/02/2014
141 funds were domiciled in Italy in 2013
In 2013, 141 new funds were domiciled in Italy, compared with 77 the previous year, according to data from Morningstar supplied to Funds People Italia. With 39 new products, Anima was the asset management firm which launched the most funds last year, particularly in the bond category. It is followed by Eurizon Capital, with 31 funds, and Amundi, with 23 funds.
20/02/2014
Tendercapital lists its funds on Online Sim
The asset management firm Tendercapital has listed its fund on the Italian platform Online Sim, Bluerating reports. With this new product range, the range on offer from Online Sim tops 3,500 funds from 130 asset management firms.
20/02/2014
Boston Partners launches a new long/short fund
Boston Partner, the value approach specialist of the Robeco group, is launching a new long/short fund, entitled Robeco Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund, Hedgeweek reports. The vehicle followed the same investment process as the Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund, but with a wider range of global investment opportunities. The new fund, managed by Jay Feeney and Christopher Hart, already responsible for the Boston Partners Global and International Equity fund, will invest at least 40% in undervalued international equities. The Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Reearch fund, concentrated on US equities, has increased its assets under management to over USD3bn since its launch in 2010.
20/02/2014
François Mouté quits as manager of two funds
François Mouté has abandoned the management of two equity funds from Neuflize OBC as part of strategic changes at the firm, Citywire Global can reveal. The US equity manager no longer manages either the Neuflize Usa Opoortunities fund, nor the Neuflize Ambition long/short fund. He has been replaced on the former fund by Eric Lafrenière, while the second fund has been taken over by David Zonena. Mouté will continue to manage the Neuflize Global fund, mandated funds, the Columbia Securities NV and the PARVEST Opportunities USA funds.
20/02/2014
Very large increase in assets under management in Swiss investment funds in January
The total volume in invesment funds in Switzerland in January rose 0.2% compared with the previous month, to CHF754.5bn, the Swiss Funds & Asset Management Association (SFAMA) announced on 19 February. Net inflows in the month under review totalled CHF1.4bn. Equity funds posted inflows of CHF976.7bn, bond funds CHF1.15bn, and money market funds have seen net outflows of CHF1.21bn. Hedge funds, for their part, have attracted nearly CHF350m.
20/02/2014
Asset management at Natixis posts EUR13bn in inflows in 2013
In 2013, the asset management business line at Natixis posted net inflows of EUR13.4bn. Excluding money market funds, net inflows total EUR20bn, the bank says, suggesting that money market funds have seen outflows of EUR6.6bn. The level of net inflow was very high in the United States, Natixis is pleased to announce: USD18bn for the Equity Value expertise at Harris Associates. The “non-traditional” expertise at Loomis, Sayles & Co has permitted inflows of USD10bn to fixed income. In Europe and the United States, “alternative” expertise (Alpha Simplex, Gateway, H2O, OSSIAM, etc.) developed more recently, generated EUR3.4bn in inflows in 2013, the bank continues. In total, as of the end of 2013, assets under management totalled EUR629bn vs EUR591bn as of 31 December 2012. The net banking proceeds from asset management, for its part, is up 10% in 2013 compared with 2012, to EUR1.832bn.
20/02/2014
Blackstone buys a stake in a hedge fund
The US Blackstone group, which would like to play the first roles in the hedge fund sector, has bought a minority stake in the alternative asset management firm Senator Investment Group, whose assets under management total about USD6.7bn, the news agency Bloomberg reports.
20/02/2014
Simon Mendelson joins DeAWM to head up development in North America
Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management (DeAWM) has appointed Simon Menselson as managing director and head of development and product management for the Americas region. Mendelson previously worked at BlackRock as global head of product development. In his newly-created role, Mendelson will be head of development, implementation and positioning of solutions and investment products available in the Americas region. The appointment of Mendelson follows the recruitment in North America of more than 12 wealth management executives.
20/02/2014
AllianceBernstein recruits a director for defined contribution activities
According to eFinancial News, AllianceBernstein has recruited Michelle Inskip as its new director of client relationships for its defined contributions activities. The US firm states that Inskip will work with Tim Banks, head of the customer relationships strategy within the retirement activity. Inskip previously worked at Schroders in the United Kingdom and Ireland on the team dedicated to relationships with consultants. She previously served for 7 years at Insight Investment as director of management of consultant relationships.
20/02/2014
Mid-sized funds perform better than large ones
Investors would have done better to buy a mid-sized fund rather than a large fund in the past five years in the income equity category, a study by FE Trustnet cited by Financial Times fund management finds. An equally weighted portfolio of the main UK Equity Income fund has earned 88% since January 2009, while the average fund earned 104%.
20/02/2014
BlackRock recruits head for Switzerland from Pimco
The BlackRock group has recruited Christian Staub as head of its activities in Switerland from 1 July, the website finews reports. Christian Staub had since 2008 been head of Pimco’s activities on the Swiss market. In his new role, Staub replaces Martin Gut, whose departure in November last year suprirsed the entire Swiss financial community. Staub will also become head of activities in Germany, Austria and Eastern Europe. There also, BlackRock had an opening following the departure of its regional head, Dirk Klee, to UBS.
20/02/2014
EFG International hires a head of Emerging Wealth
EFG International has recruited Alvin Ma for the newly created role of head of Emerging Wealth, with effect from 24 February 2014. Based in Hong Kong, he will focus on building up EFG International’s business in North Asia outside of its well established markets of Hong Kong and Taipei. In particular, he will play a key role in relation to EFG International’s future development in China.Alvin Ma was previously general manager, responsible for private banking, at China CITIC Bank International, which he joined in 2010. Prior to this, he was a senior private banker at EFG International. All told, Alvin Ma brings more than 28 years of wealth management and private banking experience, also encompassing roles at Credit Suisse, UBS, and Standard Chartered Bank.
20/02/2014
PowerShares launches an ETF dedicated to buybacks
The ETF provider Invesco PowerShares Capital Management on 27 February announced the listing of the PowerShares BuyBack Achievers TM Portfolio (IPKW) on the Nasdaq. The vehicle will provide investors with privileged access to an international portfolio of companies classified as “International BuyBack Achievers TM,” meaning companies which have performed a net reduction of 5% or more to their equities in circulation in the past 12 months. The ETF charges fees of 0.55%.
20/02/2014
Turkey, new area for growth for wealth managers
Large Turkish entrepreneurial families are increasingly interested in planning their wealth management strategies for their descendants, according to a study carried out by Campden Wealth in partnership with UBS. The study finds that wealth management remains by far a family matter in Turkish businesses. Half of the sample surveyed (30 high net worth families in summer and autumn 2013) say they have more than 75% of their wealth invested in their activity, while the remainder is invested in real estate and investment grade bond management. The entrepreneurs who invested more than 25% of their wealth outside their activities have engaged as a priority in real estate and private equity. The younger generations seem much more interested in a more sophisticated wealth management approach, with the largest selection criteria for a wealth manager being trust and track record, the study finds.
20/02/2014
Mercer recruits an investment head for the Middle East
Following the departure of Mailesh Shah, Mercer’s investment consulting leader for Middle East who worked at Mercer for 25 years, the consultancy firm has appointed Ben Gunnee as its new head of investment consulting for the Middle East and Africa, Asian Investor reports. Gunnee is taking an enlarged role compared with Shah, who becomes head of “investment” activities for India, the Middle East, Turkey and Africa. He will aim to distribute and promote investment solutions from Mercer in these markets, dividing his time between Dubai and London. Gunnee had previously been director for Europe at Mercer Sentinel, an entity which advises clients on investment and execution operations.
20/02/2014
Scottish government authorised to issue its own bonds
In the midst of a debate about the independence of the country, the British government has authorised its Scottish counterpart the right to issue its own bonds from 2015, according to reports on the BBC, Money Marketing reports. The Scottish government may issue up to GBP2.2bn of its own bonds. This possibility is related to the increased borrowing capacity of Scotland, which will be effective next year as part of the Scotland Act.
20/02/2014
Man Group steps up its search for an acquisition
Man Group is accelerating its search for an acquisition, the Financial Times reports. The aim is to diversify revenues away from the flagship fund AHL (USD12.5bn). The alternative asset management firm has USD550m in surplus capital, and according to sources familiar with the matter, will distribute money to shareholders if it does not find a target. Man Group would like to acquire a traditional asset management firm rather than another hedge fund firm, and is particuarly interested in the market in the United States.
20/02/2014
State Street appoints a director of relations with hedge funds
Jamie Gleeson joined State Street in February as managing director and head of hedge fund relationship management for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, according to eFinancial News. According to his LinkedIn profile, Gleeson from 2007 to 2013 worked at Bank of America in Asia Pacific as head of hedge fund consulting. He had previously served at Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and Lehman Brothers.