P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } Neil Woodford, former star manager at Invesco, will launch a UK equity income fund when he joins Oakley Capital in May, according to reports in Investment Week. The fund is expected to have an offer period of three weeks. The news comes at a time when it has recently been learned that Woodford’s new firm, entitled Woodford Investment Management (WIM), was created in mid-January.
P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } In order to better reflect the evolution of the sustainable investment sector, Jupiter has decided to change the name of the Jupiter Climate Change Solutions fund, managed by Charlie Thomas, to Jupiter Global Ecology Growth. The change has been effective since Janary 2014, and no modification has been made to the investment policy of the fund or its strategy, a statement says. The Jupiter Global Ecology Growth fund, launched in 2001, invests worldwide in businesses with a profound and long-term structural influence on the three crucial areas of infrastructure, management of resources, and demography. The objective of the fund is to generate long-term capital growth by investing internationally in busniesses which are confronting the challences of environmental sustainability and climate change.
P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } Fidelity Investments will increasingly seek to attract female investors under the leadership of Abigail Johnson, who is positioning herself to succeed her father, Edward Johnson, aged 83, the Financial Times reports. “Across the board, women are unhappy with our industry,” she says in the Fidelity annual report. “Our research shows many lack confidence in their ability to make financial decisions, particularly younger women. Yet, at the same time, women are becoming increasingly powerful in our economy, controlling more wealth, often outearning their spouses, and making more retirement decisions.” Fidelity therefore wishes to encourage its advisers to involve both spouses in discussions of personal finance.
P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } The chairman of the wealth and asset management division of Morgan Stanley, Greg Fleming, has announced at a conference that Morgan Stanley Investment Management was aiming for total assets of USD500bn in 2016, compared with USD338bn currently, with returns on owners’ equity of 20%.
P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } Fidelity Investments is holding onto its lead. The US asset management giant in 2013 posted growth of 13% in its operating profits, to USD2.6bn, as investor appetite for equities boosted its assets under management. At the same time, its revenues rose 7.9% to USD13.6bn, the company has announced in its annual report. Over the 2013 fiscal year as a whole, assets under management rose 15%, to a record USD1.940trn. This development is largely died to significantly positive market effects. Last year, Fidleity saw a net outflow of USD1.1bn.
P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } For the whole of 2013, assets under management by the Investment Solutions division at BNP Paribas were virtually flat (-0.5%) compared to their level as at 31 December 2012, totalling EUR885bn as at 31 December 2013, according to figures published on 13 February. They were slightly up compared with 30 September 2013 (+1.3%). Net asset flows were negative (-15.8 billion euros for the year but only -300 million euros this quarter) with asset outflows in Asset Management, in particular in money market funds, but good asset inflows in Wealth Management and Insurance, in particular in Asia and Italy. The performance effect (+24.9 billion euros) was driven by the rise in equity markets over the period. The foreign exchange effect (-12.8 billion euros) was unfavourable due to the appreciation of the euro. A strategic plan for Asset Management was announced during the year in order to relaunch asset gathering with a target of a net total of 40 billion euros in asset inflows by 2016.
P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } AllianceBernstein, the US-based asset management firm more than 60% controlled by the Axa gorup, has nearly tripled its net profits in 2013. As of the end of December, its net profits totalled USD517.6m, compared with USD188.9m in 2012, an increase of 174%. Over the past year, net earnings, for their part, posted an increase of 7%, from USD2.737bn in 2012 to USD2.915bnin 2013. As of the end of 2013, AllianceBernstein has USD450.4bn in assets under management, compared with USD430bn as of the end of 2012, an increase of 4.7% year on year. This performane is largely driven by a very positive market effect. Alliance Bernstein in fact had a large gap in the area of inflows For the past year overall, the asset management firm has seen a net outflow of USD12.3bn, of which USD10.3bn were in fourth quarter alone. This negative performance is directly related to the sale by Axa of its affiliate Mony Life Insurance Company on 1 October 2013. “A a result, AllianceBernstein lost USD6.8bn in fixed income assets in October, and these outgoing flows represent more than 70% of total net outflow in fourth quarter,” the US firm explains in a statement.
P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } Invesco has reported assets under management in the month of January of USD764.9bn, down 1.8% over the period. This decline is related to a negative market effect, a negative currency effect and a net outflow. The effect of currencies in particular resulted in a decline in assets of USD2bn. Invesco states that inflows to long-term assets were positive for the month as a whole.
P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } The current director of finance and operations and a member of the executive board, Jean-François Baralon, has been appointed as deputy CEO of Natixis Asset Management. Christine Lacoste, previously director of marketing, is also appointed as director of networks and sales support at the asset management firm. This role includes strategic steering, and the offices for networks, distribution services and communications. She also joins the executive board. The two new promotions will report direclty to Pascal Voisin, CEO of Natixis Asset Management. These changes follow the appointment of Philippe Zaouati as CEO of Mirova. He had previously been deputy CEO, a member of the executive board, in charge of development at Natixis Asset Management, a statement says. Baralon in 2000 joined IXIS Capital Markets as head of management controlling. In 2004, he was appointed as administrative and financial director at IXIS Asset Management.
P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } As of the end of January, the French asset management firm DNCA Finance had EUR10bn in assets. This is almost double the level at the end of 2012, when assets totalled slightly over EUR5bn. This spectacular growth, which since 2008 had been regular, is largely the result of net inflows of EUR2.8bn during 2013. These inflows have gone largely to diversified management, Eurose, convertible bonds, and towards the end of the year, to the Evolutif and Value Europe funds, a spokesperson for the firm says.In 2014, DNCA Finance plans to open an office in Madrid and another one in Geneva, adding to those in Munich, Milan and Luxembourg.
P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } Vanguard is now offering model portfolios to help financial advisers to package ETFs, Ignites, a publication of FT, reports. There are 11 models, all designed by the investment strategy team at the asset management firm. The aim is to provide asset allocation suggestions. The models are updated each month, but the allocations do not vary enormously. The model portfolios are increasingly considered by ETF sponsors as a means to add value to their range and to provide concrete strategies to be deployed in a portfolio. BlackRock has been offering models on its site since 2012. SSgA and Charles Schwab also offer advisers tools to help them build ETF portfolios.
P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } LeggMason and Franklin Templeton have had mixed fortunes in early 2014. In the month of January alone, Franklin Templeton has posted a decline of 2.50% in its assets under management, to USD857.2bn as of 31 January, comapred with USD879.1bn as of 31 December 2013. Legg Mason is not doing much better. As of the end of Janary 2014, its asstes have risen very modestly by 0.5%, to USD679.9bn, compared with USD679.5bn as of 31 December 2013. The asset management firm explains that “net inflows only partially offset market deprecation,” without revealing the total amount.
P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } The former head of sales from TCW Funds, Erlend Bo, has joined the asset management firm Angel Oak Capital as managing director, MutualFundWire reports. He will be responsible for strategy, sales and distribution for a range of products which includes mutual funds and alternative vehicles. He joins the former head of TCW Funds, Charles Baldiswieler, who joined Angel Oak at the end of December, immediately after resigning. Assets under management at Angel Oak Capital total about USD2.5bn.
P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } Vincent Manuel was on 1 January 2014 appointed as CEO and director of management at CA Indosuez Gestion, an asset management affiliate of CA Indosuez Private Banking, which is active in two main professions: management under mandate and management of open-ended mutual funds designed especially for the needs of high net worth clients. Manual joined the Crédit Agricole S.A. group in 2008 as director of strategy and development, where he covered the private banking and asset management professions, and actively participated in development strategy in these areas of activity. In 2011, he was appointed director of marketing at Crédit Agricole Private Banking. CA Indosuez Private Banking is one of the largest private banks dedicated exclusively to wealth management for multiple clients (entrepreneurs, top managers, large families, associations and charities). It had over EUR22bn in assets under management as of 31 December 2012.
P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } Standard Chartered is seeking a buyer for its private banking activities in Switzerland, the British firm, largely active in emerging markets, announced on Wednesday. “The process is at a very preliminary stage,” a spokesperson for the bank told AFP in London. Standard Chartered would like to sell the activity, based in Geneva, which is aimed at high net worth private clients. It would, however, like to retain its commercial banking activity in the country, a spokesperson says, confirming reports in the Wall Street Journal.
Dexia Asset Management this morning revealed its new brand identity following its acquisition by New York Life Investments on February 3rd, 2014. The company will now move forward as Candriam. Naïm Abou-Jaoudé, CEO of Candriam and vice chairman of New York Life Investment Management International, explains: «Our new name Candriam is the acronym of our core company values: Conviction and Responsibility in Asset Management."Going forward, Candriam, with EUR73bn in assets under managament, expects continued interest from investors in its multi-asset solutions and its flagship strategies, in particular those related to Corporate and High Yield, Biotech, SRI, Quant and European equity strategies. Its Index arbitrage and other leading absolute return strategies, presenting interesting risk / return profiles, are already gaining momentum with investors.
P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } The British asset management firm Brooks Macdonals has recruited Daniel Good, effective immediately, to the position of director of investment management for its Leamington Spa offices, opened in September 2013, FundWeb reports. Good had previously served at Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management as chief investment officer and member of the investment committee for the United Kingdom. He had previously worked at Barclays Wealth, Morgan Stanley Quilter and GHC Capital Markets.
P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } The head of infrastructure activities at 3i, Cressida Hogg, will be leaving the firm in March, according to a statement released on 12 February. Hogg, who had been managing partner, will be replaced by Phil White and Ben Loomes, who become co-managing partners of the infrastructure activity. Asstes under management dedicated to infrastructure total about GBP2.4bn.
P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } The financial services company Sanlam UK, which is owned by the eponymous South African group, has restructured its management groups, which is resulting in particular in the departure of Nigel Speirs from his position as CEO of Sanlam Private Wealth, Money Marketing reports. Speirs will be replaced by Alex Morley, who will retain his position as head of English Mutual. Speirs will remain at the firm at head of distribution. Sanlam, which acquired the consulting firm English Mutual in 2012, says that it hopes to continue its acquisition strategy in order to develop a wealth management activity which will be recognized by the market, according to the head of Sanlam, Lukas van der Walt.
P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } Standard Chartered has announced the appointment of Michael Benz as its new group head of private banking activities. He is expected to begin on 17 February this year, a statement says. Benz, who previously worked at Julius Baer, will be based in Hong Kong, and will report to Anna Mars, who becomes group head of private banking and commercial banking clients from 1 April. Assets under management at the private bank total over USD57bn, of which USD45bn come from Asia.
P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } JP Morgan Asset Management has recruited Keith Marcroft, who had worked at HSBC Global Asset Management, to direct its sales in the North of England and Scotland, Fund Web reports. Marcroft, who will be regional sales manager, will report to Rob Sedgley, head of IFA and regional discretionary sales.
DWS Investments Spain, la filiale espagnole de Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management (DeAWM), a annoncé à la CNMV, le régulateur local, la dissolution et la liquidation de son fonds Arcano Credit Fund, lancé en février 2010 et conseillé par la société Arcano sur le marché, révèle Funds People.Comme le rappellent les deux parties, ce véhicule était un fonds fermé ayant une date d’échéance et de liquidation, conformément à sa stratégie d’investissement. Selon le site d’information espagnol, la majorité des investisseurs ont réinvesti le montant perçu de leurs participations dans le Arcano Credit Fund dans le fonds Arcano European Income Fund qui investit dans des LBO (leveraged buy-out) ou des obligations à haut rendement (high yield) d’entités domiciliées ou ayant leurs activité dans l’Union européenne. Le fonds Arcano European Income est conseillé par Arcano et sa gestion est assurée par UBS Gestión.
Bankinter affiche ses ambitions sur le terrain de la gestion d’actifs. Après avoir enregistré une hausse de 67 % de ses actifs sous gestion en 2013, Bankinter Gestión de Activos, la filiale dédiée de la banque espagnole, espère désormais accroître ses encours de 20 % en 2014, révèle Cotizalia. Trois à cinq points de pourcentage devraient provenir d’un effet de marché positif, le solde (soit environ 15 %) viendra des souscriptions nettes, ce qui représente une rentrée d’argent frais de l’ordre de 900 millions d’euros sur la base des 6 milliards d’euros d’encours actuels.
Standard Chartered cherche un repreneur pour son activité de banque privée en Suisse, a indiqué mercredi l'établissement britannique, essentiellement implanté sur les marchés émergents. «Le processus en est à un stade très préliminaire», a précisé à l’AFP un porte-parole de la banque à Londres. Standard Chartered souhaite vendre cette activité, basée à Genève, qui s’adresse à de riches particuliers. Elle veut en revanche conserver son activité de banque commerciale dans le pays, a indiqué le porte-parole, confirmant des informations du Wall Street Journal.
Soucieuse de capter une part des 6.000 milliards de dollars de capitaux des fonds souverains vers l’économie française, la Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations (CDC) lance une nouvelle filiale pour gérer ses liens avec ces fonds souverains, révèle Les Echos. Ce jeudi après-midi, la CDC doit en effet tenir le premier conseil d’administration de CDC International Capital, une nouvelle filiale qui examinera une vingtaine d’opportunités d’investissement. « Nous construisons en France une plate-forme d’investissement partenariale avec les fonds souverains qui s’inscrit dans la durée », explique aux Echos Laurent Vigier, le PDG de CDC International Capital.
Lyxor Asset Management a annoncé jeudi la nomination de Lionel Paquin au poste de président, à compter de ce jour. «Il remplace dans cette fonction Inès de Dinechin qui quittera prochainement le groupe», indique sobrement un communiqué de la filiale de la Société Générale. X Ensae, ancien inspecteur de la Société Générale, Lionel Paquin était précédemment responsable de la plate-forme de comptes gérés de Lyxor depuis 2011.
La Turquie planche sur un emprunt obligataire en dollars à 31 ans, la plus longue maturité jamais émise en billet vert pour le pays. Le rendement indicatif de ces titres de maturité 2045 oscille entre 6,75 et 6,875%. La réussite du placment soulignerait la confiance des investisseurs pour les émissions en «hard currency» (par opposition à la devise locale) du pays. La livre turque s’est légèrement reprise face au dollar depuis la hausse des taux de la banque centrale, à 2,18 contre 2,39 au pic des turbulences sur les marchés émergents en janvier.
Le président de la BCE a demandé que le futur Fonds de résolution unique (FRU) soit pleinement mutualisé d’ici 5 ans, sans accélération des abondements des banques. L’accord de décembre 2013 entre Etats prévoit une mutualisation au bout de 10 ans. La mission de cette instance chargée de liquider les banques en faillite sera beaucoup plus compliquée s’il existe des doutes sur ses ressources financières, a fait valoir Mario Draghi. La création du FRU est un des piliers de l’union bancaire mais il reste à définir sur quel filet de sécurité il sera adossé. Pour Mario Draghi, ce «backstop» en cas de ressources insuffisantes pourrait être la capacité donnée d’emprunter sur les marchés avec des garanties publiques, ou alors l’accès aux lignes de crédit du Mécanisme européen de stabilité (MES) créé pendant la crise de l’euro pour épauler les pays en difficulté. «Le Fonds de résolution unique a besoin d’un solide backstop public», a-t-il prévenu.
Le gestionnaire d’actifs américain, propriété d’Axa, a enregistré 10,3 milliards de dollars de retraits nets l’an dernier, dont 3,6 milliards sur ses fonds actions. Le gros de la décollecte (6,8 milliards) est lié à la perte de portefeuilles de taux gérés pour le compte de Mony Life, après la cession par Axa de cette filiale aux Etats-Unis. AllianceBernstein a toutefois publié des revenus et des résultats supérieurs aux attentes au quatrième trimestre. A fin 2013, ses encours s'élevaient à 450 milliards de dollars.
Le géant américain de la gestion d’actifs a publié un résultat opérationnel au titre de l’an dernier en hausse de 13% à 2,6 milliards de dollars, sur fond d’un recul des retraits nets, passés de 5,3 à 1,1 milliard.