NYSE Euronext est à l’offensive sur les marchés émergents, rapporte L’Agefi. Le groupe a créé une plate-forme de trading commune avec Americas Trading Group sur les actions au Brésil, qui devrait être opérationnelle en 2013. Nommée ATS Brasil, elle pourrait réaliser un investissement initial de 100 millions de dollars, et capter 15% des transactions d’ici à fin 2014, selon la presse brésilienne. L’objectif pour la direction d’ATG est d'être un acteur complémentaire permettant d’améliorer la liquidité des marchés brésiliens.

BlackRock arrive premier du classement des 500 principales sociétés de gestion d’actifs dans le monde réalisé par Towers Watson (au 31 décembre 2011). Allianz, State Street Global, Vanguard et Fidelity suivent. Le premier français est BNP Paribas en huitième position, devant Amundi (12ème) et Natixis (15ème). Investment Europe publie la totalité de cette liste sur son site.

Après le lancement récent du fonds de CTA MS QTI UCITS Fund (IE00B89MRY57, lire Newsmanagers du 30 octobre) de Quest Partners, la plate-forme FundLogic Alternatives de Morgan Stanley a accueilli un hedge fund coordonné global macro de SLJ Macro Partners, le MS SLJ Macro UCITS Fund (IE00B7YD6N88) qui applique la même stratégie que le SLJ Macro Offshore Fund.Alors que le MS QTI est chargé à 1 %, le SLJ Macro affiche un TFE de 1,50 % et comporte une commission de performance de 20 % avec high watermark.

Délicat exercice pour la gestion active au mois d’octobre. Sur la zone euro, seules quatre sociétés de gestion sur dix-huit ont fait mieux que la référence du marché – l’Eurostoxx Net Return – tandis qu’en Europe, la moitié des portefeuilles a été battue par l’indice Stoxx 600 Net Return. Et la donne ne change pas vraiment au sein du mandat Global Equities puisque huit sociétés sur quinze ont fait mieux que le Stoxx 1800 NR... mais en affichant des résultats négatifs. Dans le détail, le mois d’octobre a été favorable à la gestion value. Sur la zone euro, Alliance Bernstein progresse de 3,40 % devant Mandarine Gestion (+2 ,35 %) et Somangest (+2,06 %). A l’exception de cette dernière société de gestion dont le beta mesurant l’exposition au marché est inférieur à un (0,9), les deux premiers affichent une surexposition d’après les chiffres portant sur les trois derniers mois (beta supérieur à un). Les choix de valeurs – avec un indice alpha positif – ont aussi été payants pour ces établissements qui devancent assez nettement la référence (+1,68 %). En bas de tableau, le portefeuille de Tobam est le seul dans le rouge (-0,41 %). Fidèle à sa gestion systématique basée sur la diversification, le portefeuille de Tobam affiche également le « max drawdown » - mesurant la perte maximale sur la période - le plus faible de l’ensemble (-2,60 %). A l’avant-dernière place, EdRAM (+0,21%) affiche une sous-exposition au marché (0,8) et une contribution négative du choix de titres. Au sein du mandat Europe, la situation est assez semblable. La gestion value mène la danse. Outre Dexia AM (+1,86 %), figurent aux premières places Bestinver (+1,56 %), Alliance Bernstein (+1,52 %) et Mandarine Gestion (+1,43 %). Ces portefeuilles devancent nettement l’indice (+0,78 %). Tous affichent également une surexposition au marché nette avec, pour les portefeuilles de Bestinver et Mandarine gestion, une «tracking error» élevée (proche de huit). Aux dernières places, les portefeuilles de Tobam (-0,88 %) et Ossiam (-0,93 %) affichent logiquement des betas faibles (0,6 et 0,4). Le ratio d’information du portefeuille d’Ossiam qui mesure la sur ou la sous-performance par rapport à l’indice de référence compte tenu du risque relatif pris par rapport à cet indice, est également le moins bon de l’ensemble sur les trois derniers mois (-1,9) . Mais les deux établissements adeptes de la gestion quantitative affichent également des « max drawdown » parmi les plus faibles (-2,22 pour Tobam et -2,39 pour Ossiam). Dans le mandat Global Equities, la situation diffère : les portefeuilles les plus « performants » se contentent de faire du surplace. Petercam (-0,07 %) devance Swiss Life AM (-0,08 %) et Alliance Bernstein (-0,32 %). La gestion value limite les dégâts tandis que le Stoxx 1800 Net Return perd 1,30 %. A l’exception du portefeuilles de Swiss Life AM, les betas des autres portefeuilles sont supérieurs à un sur les trois derniers mois avec également un choix de valeurs et des ratios d’information positifs – le plus élevé de l’ensemble revenant à Petercam en l’occurrence. En bas de tableau, AllianzGI High Strategy se retrouve à l’avant-dernière place (-2,66%) devant Tobam (-3,50%). Ils ont en commun leur sous-exposition au marché (0,9 et 0,8 respectivement). Mais Tobam affiche le «max drawdown» le plus élevé (-5,84) .

Funds People rapporte que iShares vient de faire enregistrer par la CNMV 20 de ses ETF cotés en Allemagne, ce qui porte sa gamme commercialisable dans ce pays à 155 produits.Parmi les nouveaux arrivants figurent 19 ETF à réplication physique sur des sous-indices du Stoxx Europe 600, le dernier étant le iShares UBS Commodity Swap ETF.

Irving Picard, the court-appointed trustee for the business interests of Bernard Madoff, has announced that he has recuperated or completed agreements to recuperate more than USD9.2bn of the USD17.3bn in principal lost by investors due to the fraud, the Wall Street Journal reports.

The Börsen-Zeitung reports that the open-ended real estate fund KanAm grundinvest, which is in the process of liquidation, has succeeded in selling the former headquarters of Deutsche Bank in London to an Asian sovereign wealth fund. The sale took place above the purchase price, but the market value of the asset was not disclosed.The DEGI International fund from Aberdeen, meanwhile, a fund which is also in the process of liquidation, has sold a property in Canada to a local institutional investor, at a price below its most recent expert valuation.

It has been a delicate period for active management in October. In the euro zone, only four asset management firms out of 18 did better than the market benchmark, the Eurostoxx Net Return, while in Europe, half of portfolios were outperformed by the Stoxx 600 net Return index. And the situation has not really changed within the Global Equities mandate, as eight firms out of 15 have done better than the Stoxx 600 NR – but with negative results.In detail, the month of October favoured value management. In the euro zone, Alliance Bernstein has gained 3.40%, followed by Mandarine Getion (+2.35%) and Somangest (+2.06%). Within the Europe mandate, the situation is similar. Value management is leading the pack. In addition to Dexia AM (+1.86%), in the top places are Bestinver (+1.56%), Alliance Bernstein (+1.52%) and Mandarine gestion (+1.43%). These portfolios are comfortably outperforming the index (+0.78%). In the Global Euqities mandate, the situation is slightly different: the best-performing portfolios are struggling to remain in positive territory. Petercm (-0.07%) is head of Swiss Life AM (-0.08%) and Alliance Bernstein (-0.32%). Value management has limited the damage, while the Stoxx 180 Net Return has lost 1.30%.

The average coverage rate for liabilities of US corporate pension funds fell in October by 1.4 percentage points, to a total of 73.6%, according to estimates by BNY Mellon. In the month under review, a rally on international equity markets did not offset a decline in the US markets. Assets in pension funds fell by 0.7% in October, while liabilities, for their part, increased by 1.1%. The discount rate fell by six basis points to 3.72%, for business with an Aa rating.

Greg Johnson, chairman and CEO of Franklin Resources, is in acquisition mode, Financial Times Fund Management reports. The goal is to strengthen the alternative management activity of the group, better known by the name Franklin Templeton Investments. Despite recent alternative acquisitions, Greg Johnson says that he would like to “have a more significant presence” at a time when he feels that institutional and retail demand for alternative management is increasing. The director would like to acquire a private equity firm in particular.

On the eve of the US presidential election, the market for invesment grade corporate issues has set records, with an amount never before seen in a single day of USD22.1bn, IFR reports. Among the issues on 5 November are AbbVie, the pharmaceuticals activity from Abbott, for a total of USD14.7bn. In the space of three trading days during the presidential elections, corporate debt issues have totalled USD47.45bn, IFR points out.

As of 30 September, GAMCO Investors had record assets of over USD36.94bn, 3.6% more than USD35.7bn as of the end of June, and 17.95% more than USD31.1bn as of the end of September 2011.In third quarter 2012, CAMCO underwent net redemptions of USD356bn, compared with net subscriptions of USD111m in April-June, and USD899m in the corresponding period of last year.Net profits in July-September 2012 totalled USD19bn, compared with USD15.1bn in second quarter, and USD7.7bn in third quarter 2011. In the first three quarters of the year, net profits totalled USD57.94m, compared with USD45.99m for January-September 2011.

Tony Williams, previously chairman and COO of Artio Global Investors, a US affiliate of Juilus Baer, has been appointed as CEO of the firm. In this position he replaces Richard Pell, who will now concentrate exclusively on investment management. Francis Ledwidge, director of the firm will serve as chairman of the board.

The hedge fund Permian Investment Partners, which has gained some notoriety since its founder, Cara Goldenberg, was invited to lunch by Warren Buffett, has earned returns of 16.2% since the beginning of the year, according to the website Valuewalk. Assets in the fund, which invests primarily in a long/short strategy, total about USD200m. Among the major long positions of Permian are Kroton, Atos SA and Merck.

Agefi reports that a Los Angeles federal judge yesterday issued a provisional ruling blocking the sale of TCW by Société Générale to Carlyle, following a lawsuit filed by the fund EIG Global Energy Partners. The fund claims that it would suffer damages for a common fund with TCW which competes with the product range from Carlyle, the newspaper explains.

In the first nine months of the year, the asset management business line at BNP Paribas posted net redemptions totalling an undisclosed amount. The bank, which is releasing its quarterly results this morning, has simply announced that “Asset Management’s asset inflows into money market and bond funds were more than offset by asset outflows in the other asset classes.” In first half, outflows from the business line already totalled EUR1.9bn, and in 2011, they totalled -EUR35.7bn for the year as a whole.Assets under management in asset management fell to EUR408bn.The other professions in the Investment Solutions unit (wealth management, insurance, and others), to which asset management belongs, have posted net subscriptions. Net asset inflows for the first nine months of the year totalled 0.9 billion euros and were penalised by a client’s (fund manager) decision in the third quarter to insource a distribution contract. Excluding this effect, net asset inflows were +12.2 billion euros for the first nine months of the year. Investment Solutions’ assets under management rose 5.2% compared to 31 December 2011 and 4.1% compared to 30 September 2011, to 886 billion euros (842 billion euros as at 31 December 2011).For the first nine months of the year, Investment Solutions’ revenues moved up 1.9% compared to the first nine months of 2011, the 6.0% drop in Wealth and Asset Management, a result of reduced managed assets in Asset Management, being offset by the 13.3% rise in revenues from Insurance (+5.8% at constant scope and exchange rates) and 5.1% revenue growth from Securities Services. Operating expenses edged up 2.0% compared to the first nine months of 2011, given business development investments in Insurance and Securities Services, but they were down 3.3% at Wealth and Asset Management due to the adjustment of costs to the new environment. The cost/income ratio was thus stable at 69.2% compared to the first nine months of 2011. Pre-tax income was 1,515 million euros, up 14.9%.

Activist investor Nelson Peltz has bought a 1 per cent stake in Danone, worth about EUR300m, according to people familiar with the situation cited by the Financial Times. He is expected today to call for the French food group to cut costs and be more disciplined with its use of cash.He is expected to call for moderate improvements, such as improving operating margins by 100 basis points to 15.1 per cent by 2015 and the return of all excess cash flow in the form of share buybacks.

The Italian asset management firm Banca Generali has reported net inflows in third quarter of EUR174m, compared with EUR65m in the previous quarter, Investment Europe reports. Assets under management totalled EUR1.36bn as of 30 September. The firm, which has recruited 40 asset management professionals in the first nine months of the year, has announced that it is planning to continue to recruit staff in the next few months.

Standard Life Investments has announced that Adam Rudd has been appointed as an investment director within the Multi Asset Investment (MAI) team. Adam Rudd, who previously worked for JP Morgan in New York, will be part of a 25 strong team providing analysis, investment recommendations, implementation strategies and management for our range of MAI funds. Adam will report directly to Guy Stern, head of Multi-Asset Fund Management, at Standard Life Investments. Between 2010 and 2012, Adam Rudd was vice-president, equity derivatives strategist, J.P. Morgan, in New York.

The British Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) on 6 November opened a consultation which opens the way for infrastructure investments to double for pension funds of local councils. Investment in infrastructure, currently limited to 15%, may increase to 30%, according to proposals by the DCLG. According to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles, the modification to the limit could allow for as much as GBP22bn to be injected into job-creating infrastructure projects.

Oddo Asset Management, Alliance Bernstein and Aberdeen Asset Managment have each recently announced the launch of a fund of fund on the Banca Generali platform, Investment Europe reports. The products are now available via the Luxembourg Sicav BG Selection, launched by the Italian firm in 2008. Piermario Motta, CEO of Banca Generali, says that the Sicav is an easy means for an international brand to reach the Italian market. BG Selection has attracted over EUR5bn since its launch. It now includes 46 sub-funds managed by 26 asset management firms, and that number is set to increase. Motta may launch a sub-fund with a small caps specialist.

BlackRock has topped rankings of the 500 largest asset management firms worldwide undertaken by Towers Watson (as of 31 December 2011). Allianz, State Street Global, Vanguard and Fidelity follow it. The top French firm is BNP Paribas, in eighth place, followed by Amundi (12th) and Natixis (15th). Investment Europe has published the full list on its website.

Since October, Andreas Zöllner has become a member of the management at the Munich-based independent asset management firm Eyb & Wallwitz, along with partners Georg, count of Wallwitz, and Ernst Konrad. He will additionally be responsible for the management of funds and institutional mandates.Previously, Zöllner had spent 11 years as manager of institutional funds for pension funds and foundations at Hauck & Aufhäuser Asset Management.

The German energy market EEX, and its French counterpart Powernext, which are already co-shareholders in the European electricity trading market Epex-Spot, on 6 November announced that they are joining forces to create a pan-European natural gas market, based on a joint IT platform. In detail, EEX and Powernext will remain two distinct gas markets, and will not create a joint affiliate, a joint statement says, but the two groups will both offer their products on a joint Trayport platform, using the same technology used by Powernext since 2004. According to the two groups, the project will be completed in first quarter 2013, pending the necessary regulatory approval.

Last month, the flagship bond fund from Bill Gross, the Pimco Total Return Fund, attracted over USD2.4bn in net subscriptions, beating out the DoubleLine Total Return Bond Fund managed by Jeff Gundlach, which attracted USD1.9bn, Mutual Fund Wire reports.US mutual bond funds have posted net inflows of USD238.27bn in the first ten months of the year, while equity mutual funds have seen net outflows of USD82.97bn, according to statistics published by Reuters.

The former head of Asian bonds at First State Investments, Murray Collis, will join Standish Mellon Asset Management, AsianInvestor has learned. He may be responsible for establishing an Asian product range for the American bond specialist firm.

Glenn Carlson will resign from his position as CEO of Brandes Investment Partners on 1 February, according to a letter sent to clients and obtained by MFWire. He will be replaced by Brent Woods, managing director of investments. Glenn Carlson will remain at Brandes as a senior partner and member of the investment supervisory board.

Last month, exchange-traded products (ETPs) attracted USD9.5bn in net subscriptions, of which USD4.2bn were for products listed in Europe, according to estimates by the BlackRock Investment Institute. In the first ten months of the year, net inflows totalled USD192.3bn (of which USD23.9bn were in Europe), which is higher than the total of USD173.4bn posted for all of 2011; in January-October last year, net subscriptions totalled USD157.7bn.In the first ten months of the year, the strongest net subscriptions were for the Vanguard MSCI Emerging Markets and the iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond with USD11.48bn nd USD6.73bn, respectively, while the two strongest net outflows were from the iShares MSCI EAFE and Barclays 1-3 year Treasury Bond, with USD2.71bn and USD2.55bn, respectively.Total assets in global ETPs as of the end of October came to USD1.8267trn, of which USD1.2823bn were in the United States, and USD348.3bn in Europe.

The Centre for Econmics and Business Research (CEBR) has published a study which claims the London financial sector will lose 13,000 jobs in 2013. The CEBR estimates that the number of jobs will fall to 237,000 next year, and 236,000 in 2014, which corresponds to 1993 evels. The situation aggravated severely, as six months ago, the study says, projections were predicting that the financial sector would have 256,000 jobs in 2013.In detail, the decline reflects a collapse in several sectors of activity during this year. Equity market activities, for example, lost 20% in value year on year. After very strong gains last year, international orders, for their part, fell off by more than 50%, and sovereign issues have seen a decline of 33%. Merger and acquisition activities in the United Kingdom also fell by one third in 2012, the study finds, adding that internationally, the decline is even steeper. Even the once-important derivatives sector has lost nearly one fifth. The only exceptions the CEBR observes are private equity and mergers and acquisitions in the IT sector are keeping up.Lastly, the CEBR projection models indicate that the situation will stabilise in 2013-2014 at best, and that a slight increase will follow.

The Swiss group UBS has appointed Oscar Balcon as head of the wealth management unit in India, the website finews reports. Balcon, who has been working for UBS for 28 years, will move from Singapore to Mumbai, where he will be responsible for the development of wealth management activities for the Indian market. The product range, which already includes equities, funds and cash products, will be extended to include credit.