Goldman Sachs et KKR vont vendre leur participation de 10,8 %, soit 10.681.388 actions, détenue dans Kion, deuxième fabricant mondial de chariots élévateurs coté à la Bourse de Francfort. La participation mise en vente rapporterait environ 330 millions d’euros, selon Reuters.
Société de gestion d’actifs basée à Londres, Tendercapital a l’intention cette année de se développer en France et en Suisse, indique son président, Moreno Zani, interrogé par Bluerating. « Nous étudions des possibilités d’expansion de notre activité par le biais de l’acquisition d’une autre structure de gestion européenne qui pourrait se conclure d’ici à la fin du premier semestre 2014 », indique-t-il. La société de gestion indépendante a déjà ouvert des succursales en Irlande, en Italie, en Allemagne et en Russie. Elle propose des fonds actions et obligataires.
Le gestionnaire institutionnel britannique Legal & General Investment Management vient de recruter Willem Klinstra et Chris Jeffery en tant que stratégistes au sein de la division stratégie et recherche sur l’allocation tactique, rapporte l’agence Reuters.Willem Klinstra et Chris Jeffery travaillaient précédemment au sein de l'équipe dédiée aux solutions multi-classes d’actifs chez BNP Paribas Investment Partners.
Standard Life vient de recruter Patrick Granger en qualité de responsable senior du développement de ses activités, rapporte Money Marketing. Patrick Granger sera notamment en charge de l’accompagnement et du développement des relations avec la clientèle des conseillers corporate sur les problématiques de retraite.Patrick Granger travaillait précédemment chez Aviva, où il était responsable de la distribution et du développement de l’activité.
Close Brothers Asset Management (AM) a nommé Robert Alster, un ancien d’AllianceBernstein, au poste de directeur de la recherche. Il sera placé sous la direction de Nancy Curtin, chief investment officer de Close Brothers.Dans le cadre de ses nouvelles fonctions, Robert Alster dirigera un équipe de professionnels travaillant sur la recherche actions fondamentale pour les gérants de portefeuille de la société de gestion.
La société de gestion britannique Ignis a recruté un gérant et un spécialiste produit afin de renforcer son équipe dédiée à l’immobilier qui gère 3 milliards de livres. Jamie Horton, qui officiait jusque-là chez DTZ en tant que directeur, rejoindra en février le bureau de Glasgow d’Ignis au poste de gérant en charge du UK Commercial Property Trust (1,1 milliard de livres d’actifs). Pour sa part, Lucy Williams, ex-responsable du développement chez Lothbury Investment Management, intégrera le bureau de Londres d’Ignis en tant que spécialiste produit.
Richard Desmond, le fondateur du groupe britannique de médias Northern & Shell, réclame 20 millions de livres en justice à GLG Partners, une filiale de Man Group, suite à des pertes sur un investissement « incompréhensible », rapporte Bloomberg. L’intéressé explique que GLG Partners l’a conseillé de nouer une transaction dans les dérivés en 2007 avec Credit Suisse en tant que contrepartie. Il a investi environ 50 millions de livres dans un produit connu sous le nom de Constant Proportion Portfolio Insurance, une sorte de swap. « C’était incompréhensible sauf pour un expert », estiment les avocats de Richard Desmond. Ce dernier affirme que GLG ne l’a pas prévenu des risques. Il a perdu 20 millions de livres.
Ashmore, société de gestion londonienne spécialiste des marchés émergents, vient d’obtenir auprès de la China Securities Regulatory Commission une licence RQFII (RMB Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors) qui lui permettra d’investir sur les marchés domestiques des valeurs mobilières en Chine. La structure précise être la première société de gestion basée en dehors de Honk Kong à décrocher ce statut.L’obtention de cette licence s’inscrit dans le cadre de l’allocation d’un quota RQFII de 80 milliards de renminbi à Londres.Cotée à la Bourse de Londres, Ashmore gère un encours de 78,5 milliards de dollars.
Roberto Lampl, l’ancien responsable des actions marchés émergents de Barings Asset Management, a rejoint Alquity Investments à Londres en tant que responsable des investissements en Amérique latine. L’intéressé avait quitté Barings en juillet 2013. Il y avait été remplacé par Staffan Lindfeldt.
Schroders a lancé un nouveau fonds obligataire européen pour le responsable du crédit européen, Patrick Vogel, est en mesure de révéler Citywire. Le fonds Euro Credit Conviction sera principalement investi dans un portefeuille d’obligations et d’autres titres à taux fixes et flottants libellés en euros.
Le gestionnaire d’actifs britannique Sarasin & Partners, détenu à 60 % par Bank J. Safra Sarasin, vient de renommer son fonds multi-asset Sarasin GlobalSar Cautious Fund de 137 millions de livres d’actifs en GlobalSar Strategic en raison sa contre-performance sur le marché, révèle Investment Week. Au cours des cinq dernières années, ce fond a dégagé un rendement de 33,2 % contre 45 % de rendement en moyenne pour le secteur. En parallèle, la société de gestion a également diminué de 25 points de base les commissions de performance des différentes classes de parts de ce véhicule.Par ailleurs, Sarasin & Partners a décidé de renommer deux autres fonds en raison de leur contre-performance au cours des années récentes. De fait, le véhicule International Equity Income, doté de 430 millions de livres d’actifs, a été rebaptisé Global Higher Dividend, tandis que le fonds Global Equity Income (195 millions de livres d’actifs) est devenu Global Higher Dividend.
Goldman Sachs Asset Management (AM) has recruited Nadia Papagiannis as director of alternative investment strategy for global third-party distribution, Mutual Fund Wire reports. Papagiannis, known as one of the top experts in alternative management, had previously served at Morningstar as director of alternative fund research.
The French minister of the Ecology and seven European ministers are calling on the European Commission to go further in its reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and to set “solid” objectives for renewable energies by 2030. Eight European ministers have formed a united front in favour of renewable energies. In a letter sent to commissioners Connie Hedegaard and Günther Oettinger, responsible for climate action and energy, respectively, the ministers ask for stronger EU objectives for renewable energies. Philippe Martin, French ecology minister, Sigmar Gabriel, the new German minister of the Economy, and Andrea Orlando, Italian minister of the Environment, signed the letter, composed by EurActiv. “We need to offer a solid and long-term regulatory framework to support sources of renewable energy, independent of divergences over operational details,” the ministers write. “An objective on renewable energies will reinforce European competitiveness and contribute to the creation of jobs and growth.” An objective in clean energy is “crucial” in order to make the investing businesses safe, the ministers continue. On 22 January, the Commission is expected to unveil a long-awaited “climate-energy package.” This will include proposed legislation in several areas, including schist gas, oil sand, structural reform of the carbon market and industrial competitiveness.
The Canadian banking group CBC has completed its acquisition of the wealth management firm Atlantic Trust Private Wealth Management from Invesco for a total of USD210m. The acquisition comes as part of the strategy at CIBC to increase the share of the group’s profits derived from wealth management activities to 15%. Assets under management at Atlantic Trust total about USD24bn.
Standard Life has recruited Patrick Granger as senior head of development for its activities, Money Marketing reports. Granger will be responsible in particular for assisting in the development of relationships with corporate advisers about retirement issues. Granger previously worked at Aviva, where he was responsible for distribution and development of activities.
London-based Ashmore, the emerging markets investment manager, has become the first investment manager outside of Hong Kong to be granted RMB Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors (RQFII) status by the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC).RQFII status allows international investors access to the Chinese onshore equity and fixed income securities markets. The scheme allows for improved ease of repatriation of funds compared to the existing QFII scheme, and provides more flexible investment guidelines for investors looking to invest in China.In October 2013, China allocated a RMB80 billion RQFII quota for London, after a decision was taken to expand the pilot scheme beyond Asia, within which Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore are approved for RQFII, respectively.Ashmore manages USD78.5 billion
Roberto Lampl, former head of emerging markets at Barings Asset Management, has joined Alquity Investments in London as chief investment officer for Latin America. Lampl left Barings in July 2013. He was replaced by Staffan Lindfeldt.
Richard Desmond, founder of the British Northern & Shell media group, is seeking GBP20m in court from GLG Partners, an affiliate of Man Group, following losses on an “incomprehensible” investment, Bloomberg reports. Desmond explains that GLG Partners advised him to enter into a derivative transaction with Credit Suisse in 2007 as a counterparty. He invested about GBP50m in a product known as Constant Proportion Portfolio Insurance, a sort of swap. “It was incomprehensible except to an expert,” Desmond’s lawyers claim. Desmond says that GLG did not inform him of the risks. He lost GBP20m.
The British institutional asset management firm Legal & General Investment Management has recruited Willem Klinstra and Chris Jeffery as strategists in the strategy and tactical allocation research division, the news agency Reuters reports. Klinstra and Jeffery previously worked in the team dedicated to multi-asset class solutions at BNP Paribas Investment Partners.
The British asset management firm Ignis has recruited a asset manager and a product specialist as additions to its team dedicated to real estate, which has GBP3bn in assets under management. Jamie Horton, who had previously served as director of DTZ, will in February join the Glasgow office of Ignis as asset manager in charge of the UK Commercial Property Trust (GBP1.1bn in assets). For her part, Lucy Williams, former head of development at Lothbury Investment Management, will join the London office of Ignis as a product specialist.
Goldman Sachs and KKR will sell their 10.8% stakes, equivalent to 10,681,388 shares, in Kion, the world’s second largest manufacturer of motorized warehouse lifts, listed on the Frankfurt stock exchange. The stake up for sale represents about EUR330m, according to Reuters.
The Swiss convertible bond specialist Fisch Asset Management at the end of 2013 published assets of CHF7.4bn, compared with CHF7.3bn at the beginning of the year. The asset management firm says it is highly satisfied with this development. It claims that it has been able to compensate with good subscriptions for the departure of assets at Schroders. The asset management firm had announced its decision in November to bring convertible bond management in house, which since 2008 had been outsourced to Fisch Asset Management.
Credit Suisse on 7 January unveiled a new presentation of its results over 9 months, adapted for its new corporate structure, since the creation of so-called “non-strategic” units last October. The bank has also reformatted its 2011 and 2012 results for comparison, pending results for fourth quarter, which are expected to be published on about 5 February, a statement says. To reduce consumption of owners’ equity and accelerate cost reductions, Credit Suisse had founded a non-strategic unit in each of its two divisions (private banking and wealth management on one side, investment banking on the other). In investment banking, the firm has transferred its newly-created fixed income activity liquidation portfolio, parts of restructured fixed income activities, including financial instruments which are not compatible with Basel III, and structured positions which consume owners’ equity. The creation of the units will have no impact on the consolidated results, nor on results for the core profession at Credit Suisse, the firm claims.
Schroders has launched a new European bond fund for the head of European credit, Patrick Vogel, Citywire reports. The Euro Credit Conviction fund will invest primarily in a portfolio of bonds and other fixed and variable income securities denominated in euros.
“Passion investments” can do better than a classic equity allocation. According to the first edition of an index launched by the British firm Coutts in conjuction with Fathom Consulting, called Coutts Index: Objects of Desire, investments which are related, for example, to a passion for artworks generally earn higher returns than investments in equities. The index captures the price return in local currency (net of the holding costs) of 15 passion assets across two broad categories: trophy property and alternative investments. Alternative investments can be further broken down into fine art, collectibles and precious items. Of all the alternative investments Coutts examined for the Index, classic cars have returned the most since 2005, rising by 257%, outpacing all other investments by more than 80 percentage points over the seven and-a-half-year timeframe. Classic watches have also proved they can stand the test of time, rising by 176% from 2005 to 30 June 2013. Jewels returned 146% in comparison, while the standout performer in the fine art space is the traditional Chinese works of arts sector, which rose by 163% between 2005 and 30 June 2013. Over the past seven and a half years, the Coutts Index, based in USD terms, has risen by 82% – over the same period, the MSCI All Country Equity Index has risen by 53%, based in USD terms.
Alan Wu, former portfolio manager at the CSOP Asset Management company, based in Hong Kong, is planning to launch a quantitative fund dedicated to China early this year, Hedge Fund Intelligence reports. Wu left CSOP a few months ago to found his own firm.
The GAM Star Global Equity Inflation Focus fund will be closing this month due to low asset levels, Citywire reveals. The fund, managed externally by Manning & Napier Advisors, had assets of over EUR96m as of the end of 2012, but now has less than EUR6m.
The Swiss asset management boutique Zeus Capital is adding to its Sicav range with the launch of a diversified fund, the Zeus Capital World Balanced fund, Citywire reports. Last summer, the boutique had offered four funds domiciled in Luxembourg. The new fund will function as a fund of funds, which may invest in all asset classes, with 100% invested in funds in UCITS or UCIS formats. The fund is expected to show moderate volatility while remaining correlated to the major makets. The fund will be managed by Lemanik Asset Management.
Mitsubishi has launched an investment fund specialised in commercial real estate in London, which may raise up to GBP500m from institutions in Japan, the Financial Times reports. The Japanese group has teamed up with UBS in the venture, and will supply GBP50m in seed funding. The fund may earn net returns of 8-10% per year, or about 13 times more than Japanese government bonds, according to Tak Ishikawa, CIO of the asset management division of Mitsubishi.
Investment fund assets worldwide increased 1.9 percent during the third quarter to stand at EUR 23.37 trillion at end September 2013, according to the European Fund and Asset Management Association (EFAMA). In U.S. dollar terms, worldwide investment fund assets increased 5.2 percent to USD 31.56 trillion at end September 2013. Worldwide net cash inflows amounted to EUR 182 billion, up from EUR 109 billion in the previous quarter. A turnaround in net flows into money market funds was the main driver behind this result: net inflows amounted to EUR 81 billion, compared to net outflows of EUR 84 billion in the previous quarter. The United States registered net inflows of EUR 71 billion during the quarter accounting for much of these inflows. Net outflows from money market funds continued to be recorded in Europe (EUR 9 billion). Long-term funds (all funds excluding money market funds) continued to register net inflows amounting to EUR 100 billion during the third quarter, albeit down from EUR 193 billion registered in the previous quarter. Worldwide equity funds recorded increased net inflows of EUR 61 billion in net new money, up from EUR 28 billion in the previous quarter. Worldwide bond funds registered net outflows for the first time since the fourth quarter of 2008. Net outflows amounted to EUR 37 billion, compared to net inflows of EUR 31 billion in the previous quarter. Balanced funds recorded reduced net inflows of EUR 47 billion, down from EUR 57 billion in the second quarter.