BNY Mellon Asset Management International Limited vient de recruter Heneg Parthenay en tant que chief operating officer. Basé à Londres, il est placé sous la direction de Peter Paul Pardi, CEO de BNY Mellon Asset Management International et responsable mondial de la distribution de BNY Mellon Investment Management.Heneg Parthenay a passé les huit dernières années chez Aviva, récemment au sein de l’équipe dirigeante du pôle gestion d’actifs Aviva Investors.

Dans le souci de muscler l’activité retraites de Fidelity et de fournir à Annuity Direct les moyens de se développer, Fidelity Worldwide Investment acquiert la totalité du capital actions d’Annuity Direct et de sa société holding Retirement Angels, sous réserve d’un agrément de la Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).Annuity Direct conservera son statut de conseiller financier indépendant. Cette société est prestataire de services tant pour les particuliers que pour un vaste échantillon d’intermédiaires, et l’acquisition permettra aux clients de Fidelity un choix plus large de solutions en matière de prévoyance retraite.La transaction intervient en un moment où Fidelity a décidé de renforcer son pôle retraites avec le recrutement de Richard Parkin (ex UBS Global Asset Management), qui prendra ses fonctions de head of retirement, head of proposition, DC and Workplace Savings à la fin du mois.

La société de gestion alternative Egerton Capital a décidé de fermer fonds long-only aux nouveaux clients, rapporte l’agence Reuters. Fin 2012, Egerton avait fermé sa stratégie long-short aux nouveaux investisseurs.A l’origine de cette décision, une hausse exceptionnelle des actifs de l’ordre de 80% sur un an. Les actifs sous gestion d’Egerton s'élèvent actuellement à environ 11,4 milliards de dollars, également répartis entre les deux stratégies, contre 6,3 milliards de dollars il y a environ un an.Sur l’année 2013 au 11 octobre, la stratégie long-short a dégagé une performance de 19%, contre 9% en moyenne pour un hedge fund actions selon Hedge Fund Research. La stratégie long-only affiche un gain de 25%.

En novembre, BNP Paribas Securities Services lancera un nouveau service offrant aux gestionnaires de fonds alternatifs un accès direct, au format électronique et en temps réel, aux données comptables de leurs fonds, ce qui leur permettra de répondre plus rapidement aux demandes de leurs investisseurs ou de leurs administrateurs tout en leur facilitant la prise de décision, rapporte Funds People.Ce système sera compatible avec les principales plates-formes comptables et administratives utilisées par les clients de la banque et sera intégré dans le portail d’information NeoLink destiné aux clients de BNP Paribas Securities Services.

Dans une notification à la SEC datée du 15 octobre, Nomura Asset Management annonce qu’avec effet immédiat les souscriptions de tous les fonds de Nomura Partners Funds Inc sont arrêtées. Nomura précise avoir l’intention de se retirer de l’activité de fonds retail aux Etats-Unis, rapporte Mutual Fund Wire. Nomura continuera de gérer les fonds durant la période de transition.D’autre part, un salarié de Nomura a confirmé que Michael Andrews, head of US retail, a quitté la société.

Désormais, la plate-forme de négoce OneSource lancée en février et sur laquelle Charles Schwab Investment Management propose des ETF sans commissions référence 121 produits. En effet, le 16 octobre, 16 nouveaux produits, dont cinq de Guggenheim Investments, cinq de SPDR ETF (State Street Global Advisors) et six de Charles Schwab IM. OneSource couvre des ETF de six promoteurs différents, dont les trois mentionnés plus haut, plus PowerShares, ETF Securities et United States CommodityFunds.La liste complète des fonds sur OneSource est disponible ici.

Avec le slogan «take the euro out of Germany», le gestionnaire américain WisdomTree a lancé le 17 octobre le WisdomTree Germany Hedged Equity Fund (code mnémonique : DXGE), un ETF d’actions allemandes qui réplique l’indice WisdomTree Germany Hedged Equity, un indice pondéré par les dividendes qui neutralise parallèlement les fluctuations de l’euro par rapport au dollar.Le taux de frais sur encours est fixé à 0,48 %.

Lorsque l’acquisition de NYSE Euronext par l’IntercontinentalExchange sera effective, en principe le 4 novembre, le franco-américain Stéphane Biehler, chief accounting officer & corporate controller de NYSE Euronext depuis 2007, rejoindra Morningstar comme directeur financier (CFO). Il sera directement subordonné à Joe Mansueto, chairman & CEO.Stéphane Biehler remplace Scott Cooley, CFO depuis 2007, qui a manifesté le désir de prendre une année sabbatique pour passer un diplôme universitaire. Il devrait ensuite revenir chez Morningstar dans le domaine de la recherche.

Les actifs sous supervision du pôle Investment Management de Goldman Sachs se sont accrus de 36 milliards de dollars au troisième trimestre pour atteindre 991 milliards de dollars, selon un communiqué publié le 17 octobre. Les actifs sous supervision comprennent les actifs sous gestion mais également d’autres actifs de la clientèle investis chez des gérants tiers.Les actifs sous gestion de long terme sous supervision ont augmenté de 35 milliards de dollars, en raison d’une appréciation de marché positive de 19 milliards de dollars (essentiellement sur les actions) et d’une collecte nette de l’ordre de 16 milliards de dollars, principalement dans des supports obligataires.Les revenus de l’activité Investment Management se sont élevés à 1,22 milliard de dollars au troisième trimestre, en progression de 2% par rapport au troisième trimestre 2012 mais en recul de 9% par rapport au deuxième trimestre 2013.Le groupe Goldman Sachs a dégagé un bénéfice part du groupe de 1,4 milliard de dollars, en recul de 2%, pour un chiffre d’affaires de 6,7 milliards de dollars, en baisse de 20% sur un an.

Les actifs sous gestion du groupe Blackstone s’inscrivaient fin septembre à 248 milliards de dollars, un montant record en progression de 21% sur un an, selon un communiqué publié le 17 octobre. Toutes les activités de Blackstone ont enregistré de bons résultats, grâce à la collecte et l’appréciation des actifs.La collecte brute s’est élevée à 21 milliards de dollars au troisième trimestre et à 53 milliards de dollars au cours des douze derniers mois.Blackstone a retourné 34 milliards de dollars aux investisseurs au cours des douze derniers mois.

Amundi prévoit de lancer dans les douze prochains mois de nouveaux compartiments gérés par son partenaire américain First Eagle Investment Management (FEIM).En attendant, la Sicav luxembourgeoise Amundi International Sicav (3,8 milliards d’euros d’encours au 30 septembre) distribuée par Amundi et gérée en délégation par FEIM, change de nom et devient First Eagle Amundi International Fund. De plus, la Sicav adopte une structure à compartiments multiples.Cette évolution reflète « le renforcement du partenariat entre Amundi et FEIM vers une plus grande collaboration », indique un communiqué.« First Eagle a fait un excellent travail en gérant cette Sicav (…). First Eagle nous aide également à promouvoir le fonds à l’international. Avec ce changement de nom nous voulions les associer à cette aventure commerciale », explique Laurent Bertiau, directeur adjoint du métier institutionnel et distributeurs tiers en charge du commercial et marketing chez Amundi.

Fondée en 2005 avec l’aide de Treasury Group (Sydney) par Peter Sartori, Treasury Asia Asset Management Limited (TAAM) a été achetée par le tokyoïte Nikko Asset Management pour un montant non divulgué.TAAM emploie huit personnes à Singapour et à Sydney. Elle s’est spécialisée dans des stratégies «sophistiquées» sur les actions asiatiques, précise un communiqué.Nikko AM (156 milliards de dollars au 30 juin 2013) précise avoir choisi son bureau de Singapour, dirigé par Eleanor Seet, comme centre d’excellence pour la gestion de valeurs mobilières asiatique.

La situation de financement des caisses de pension suisses s’est légèrement améliorée au troisième trimestre. Cette évolution tient avant tout à la bonne tenue du marché des actions, relève Swisscanto dans le dernier Moniteur publié le 17 octobre.Les caisses de droit privé et de droit public, qui visent un refinancement complet, sont parvenues à renforcer légèrement les taux de couverture pondérés en fonction des actifs sous gestion. Elles ont ainsi pu se constituer des réserves de fluctuations d’un niveau satisfaisant.Pour les caisses de pension de droit privé, évaluées par Swisscanto, le taux de couverture pondéré en fonction des actifs gérés a augmenté, selon les estimations, de 0,7 point de pourcentage par rapport au trimestre précédent, à 110,1%.La situation est similaire pour les caisses de droit public avec capitalisation totale, où le taux de couverture pondéré en fonction des actifs sous gestion a augmenté de 0,6 point de pourcentage à 102%. Ces caisses doivent, à l’instar des caisses de droit privé, constituer une réserve de fluctuation et visent un taux de couverture supérieur à 100%.Pour les caisses publiques avec garantie d’Etat, une capitalisation partielle de 80% est autorisée. Pour ces caisses aussi, le taux de couverture pondéré en fonction des actifs gérés a légèrement augmenté de 0,6 point de pourcentage, à 75,8%.Depuis début 2013, les institutions de prévoyance évaluées ont réalisé un rendement pondéré en fonction des actifs gérés de 4,6%, alors qu’il n'était qu'à 3,2% pour le premier semestre. La part estimée des caisses de droit privé en situation de sous-couverture s'élève désormais à environ 5% (-1 point de pourcentage par rapport à fin juin) , alors que les caisses de droit public à capitalisation totale présentent un taux de 41% (-3 points).

Ashmore has registered its Pan Africa and Latin America Equity funds as Sicavs, extending their availability to investors, Fund Web reports. The products are UCITS IV funds registered in Luxembourg, and they are available to institutional and retail investors.

Treasury Asia Asset Management Limited (TAAM), founded in 2005, with the assistance of Treasury Group (Sydney) by Peter Sartori, has been acquired by the Tokyo-based Nikko Asset Management for an undisclosed amount.TAAM employs eight people in Singapore and Sydney. It specialised in “sophisticated” strategies based on Asian equities, a statement says.Nikko AM (USD156bn as of 30 June 2013) says that it has selected its Singapore office, led by Eleanor Seet, a its center of excellence for managing Asian securities.

According to estimates by BarclayHedge and Trimtabs of 3,340 products, hedge funds in August posted net subscriptions of USD10bn (or 0.5% of their assets), after USD8.23bn in July. In the first eight months of the year, hedge funds posted net inflows of USD45bn, compared with net outflows of USD3.6bn in the corresponding period of last year. As of 31 August, total assets were USD2trn, with the all-time record of USD2.trn tading from the end of September 2008. Funds of hedge funds, for their part, saw net redemptinos of USD4.2bn (0.9% of their assets) in August, after net outflows of USD4.1bn in July. Funds of hedge funds posted net subscriptions only during the first 24 months.

After gains of slightly over 6% in 2012, assets under management for third parties on the French market once again rose by 3.3% in the first nine months of the year, to top EUR3trn as of the end of September, at EUR3.036trn, according to the most recent estimates by the French financial management association (AFG). Of this total, mandates, including foreign-registered OPCs, have gained nearly EUR100bn, to EUR1.529trn, while collective management held stable at EUR1.507trn. This psychologically significant threshold, which marks an increase of over 20% in five years, and of nearly 10% over the end of 2007, is nonetheless largely due to positive market effects, as all OPC asset classes show outflows since the beginning of the year, even though figures have improved since summer. With that said, asset management activity in Paris remains highly dynamic, with many creations of asset management firms once again this year. Without definite figures, the balance of creations is expected to total about 30, says Paul-Henri de La porte du Theil, chairman of the AFG, at a press conference. However, there has been a decline in creations since 53 in 2010, 39 the next year, and 34 last year.

Gigi Chan, manager of the Threadneedle China Opportunities fund, has left the firm to take a break in her career, Investment Week reveals. Her fund will be taken over by Vanessa Donegan, head of the Asian equities team at Threadneedle in London.

In second quarter 2013, Jupiter recorded net inflows of GBP271m, after GBP209m in second quarter 2013 and GBP579m in third quarter 2012. These inflows and positive market effects allowed the UK asset management firm to slightly increase its assets from GBP29bn to GBP29.9bn for the quarter. Inflows to funds totalled GBP278m, with positive contributions both from British and international distribution channels. Assets in funds totalled GBP23.3bn as of 30 September. Since the beginning of the year, Jupiter has posted inflows of GBP689m.

The alternative asset management firm Egerton Capital has decided to close its long-only fund to new clients, the news agency Reuters reports. As of the end of 2012, Egerton also closed its long/short strategy to new investors. The source of this decision is an exceptional increase in assets under management of about 80% year on year. Assets under management at Egerton now total about USD11.4bn, also distributed between the two strategies, compared with USD6.3bn about one year ago. In the year 2013 to 11 October, the long/short strategy has earned returns of 19%, compared with an average of 9% for an equity hedge fund, according to Hedge Fund Research. The long-only strategy has posted gains of 25%.

In an effort to develop its own retirement operation and provide Annuity Direct the means to grow, Fidelity Worldwide Investment is acquiring all equity capital in Annuity Direct and its holding company Retirement Angels, pending permission from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).Annuity Direct will retain its status as an independent financial adviser. This firm is a provider of services both to retail investors and to a wide range of intermediaries, and the acquisition will allow Fidelity clients a wider selection of retirement planning solutions.The transaction comes at a time when Fidelity has decided to add to its retirement unit with the recruitment of Richard Parkin (ex UBS Global Asset Management), who will take a position as head of retirement, Head of Proposition, DC and Workplace Savings at the end of this month.

Patrick Summer, head of property equities at Henderson Global Investors (HGI), announced on Thursday during a visit to Paris that the house strategy, in terms of equity and real estate investment, is to maintain an “active share” of at least 60%, which is currently the case, at 61%. The portfolios include 8.8% of equities which are not in the benchmark indices.As of 30 September, HGI has assets of only USD2.7bn in real estate equities, of which USD2bn are in three Luxembourg-registered funds: USD1.3bn for the Henderson Horizon Global Property Equities Fund, EUR358m for the Henderson Horizon Pan European Property Equities Fund, and USD436m for the Henderson Horizon Asia Pacific Property Equities Fund, while the remainder corresponds to mandates, including from a Dutch pension fund and another pension fund from the Asia-Pacific region. Since the beginning of the year, the global fund has attracted a net USD172m, while the pan-European fund posted inflows of EUR17m, and the Asian product posted USD20m in net subscriptions.The portfolio of the global fund includes 67 positions, out of a universe of 306 securities in the index, and 400 securities including homebuilders. The only marked overweight position (3%) is to US equities. In Europe, a region in which it is neutral, HGI is underweight on France (3%) and overweight on Germany, the United Kingdom and Sweden. Asia-Pacific is underweighted by 2%.

The UK equity team at Polar Capital has been dissolved due to the departure of manager Philip Hardy, Investment Week reports. The closure will result in redemptions of USD293m for the December quarter. Although a direct replacement will not be recruited, the firm indicates that there is room for other teams to join the firm if an occasion presents itself.

In third quarter 2013, Man Group has recorded net inflows of USD0.7bn, as inflows to GLG Alternatives and long-only funds compensated for redemptions from funds at AHL and FRM. The AHL Diversified programme lost 6.6% for the quarter, which was the principal reason for redemptions of USD0.5bn in Quant strategies. The performance of FRM was negative all over, which reduced assets by USD0.3bn for the quarter. As of the end of September, assets under management at Man Group totalled USD52.5bn, compared with USD52bn as of the end of June.

BNY Mellon has appointed Heneg Parthenay as chief operating officer of BNY Mellon Asset Management International Limited. Based in London, Parthenay reports to PeterPaul Pardi, CEO of BNY Mellon Asset Management International and global head of distribution for BNY Mellon Investment Management.Parthenay spent the last eight years at Aviva, latterly on the executive team of their global asset management arm, Aviva Investors Limited.

The OneSource trading platform, launched in February, and on which Charles Schwab Investment Management offers commission-free ETFs, now lists 121 products. On 16 october, 16 new products were added, including five from Guggenheim Investments, five from SPDR ETF (State Street Global Advisors) and six from Charles Schwab IM. OneSource covers ETFs from six different providers, including the three aforementioned, plus PowerShres, ETF Securities and United States CommodityFunds.The complete list of ETFs available on OneSource is available here.

With the slogan “take the euro out of Germany,” the US asset management firm WisdomTree on 17 October launched the WisdomTree Germany Hedged Equity Fund (ticker: DXGE), an ETF of German equities which replicates the WisdomTree Germany Hedged Equity index, an index weighted by dividends which also neutralises fluctuations in the euro against the dollar in parallel.The total expense ratio is set at 0.48%.

In November, BNP Paribas Securities Services will launch a new service to offer hedge fund managers direct access, in electronic format and in real time, to accounting data for their funds, which will allow them to more rapidly respond to requests from their investors or administrators, while facilitating decision-making, Funds People reports.The system will be commpatible with the major accounting and administrative platforms used by clients of the bank, and will be inegrated into the NeoLink information portal for customers of BNP Paribas Securities Services.

With its new tool MSCI ESG DataMetrics, MSCI has launched a service which will provide its clients with a complete set of ratings, indicators and raw environmental, social and governance (ESG) data to facilitate quantitative analysis, the development of exclusive ESG models, ESG reporting and analysis of the ESG footprint for portfolios.MSCI ESG DataMetrics offers 174 metrics on eight ESG issues for all companies on the MSCI World Index, such as Carbon Emissions, Water Stress, Labor Management, and Corporate Governance. These metrics include four years of raw data, including water use and lost-time injury rates; indicators on business and geographic risk exposure; policies, systems, and targets; and seven years of historical data on ESG ratings and scores. With comprehensive cross-industry metrics, users can identify trends and select ESG data that is most relevant to their views and those of their clients.In addition to cross-industry metrics on eight ESG issues, MSCI ESG DataMetrics also offers over 350 industry-specific metrics that inform the key issues of MSCI ESG Research’s rating model, MSCI ESG IVA.

Investor optimism over the global economic recovery and corporate profits has been dented as the tail risk associated with the U.S. economy has escalated, though sentiment towards Europe has improved, according to the BofA Merrill Lynch Fund Manager Survey, taken from October 4 to October 10, of a sample totalling USD643bn. Expectations for a recovery in corporate profits have fallen. Last month, a net 41 percent said they expected corporate profits worldwide would improve in the following 12 months – that figure has tumbled to a net 28 percent in October. A net 18 percent believes that corporate profit margins will decrease in the coming year, up from a net 11 percent a month ago. As a corollary of this lesser optimism, asset allocators have scaled back their equity holdings. A net 49 percent of global asset allocators are overweight equities, down from a net 60 percent in September. In another significant development, investors and asset allocators have increased allocations towards global emerging market equities and have indicated in October’s survey that they see value in the region. The signals towards global emerging markets are not universally positive, however, says BofA Merrill Lynch. Nonetheless, a net 38 percent of the global respondents say that emerging markets equities are the most undervalued of all the regions - in contrast, a net 63 percent says the U.S. is the most overvalued region.