La société de gestion Keren Finance a annoncé mardi 8 octobre l’arrivée de Gregory Moore en tant que gérant privé. L’intéressé a pour mission de renforcer l’équipe de gestion et d’accompagner le développement de la branche gestion privée de la société. Gregory Moore aura en charge la gestion de comptes titres et PEA, ainsi que les mandats délégués sur des contrats d’assurance-vie par de grandes compagnies en France et au Luxembourg, indique Keren Finance.Auparavant, Gregory Moore était gérant sur les marchés actions et obligataires au sein de Montségur Finance.
NYSE Euronext a annoncé le 8 octobre l’admission a la négociation sur la place de Paris du Lyxor ETF CSI3000 A d’actions chinoises, répliquant l’indice CSI 300 Net Total Return. Le taux de frais sur encours est fixé à 0,40 %.Désormais, les places européennes de NYSE Euronext cotent 654 fois 564 ETF.
La Deutsche Börse a finalement annoncé le 8 octobre l’admission à la négociation sur le segment XTF de sa plate-forme électronique Xetra des deux ETF d’actions ComStage ETF FTSE China A50 UCITS ETF et ComStage ETF MSCI World with EM Exposure Net UCITS ETF, chargés à respectivement 0,40 % et 0,50 % (lire Newsmanagers du 4 octobre).De ce fait, le nombre d’ETF cotés à Francfort s'établit à 1.033.
Les actifs sous gestion du groupe suisse Syz s'élèvent actuellement à environ 27 milliards d’euros, en progression d’un peu moins de 15% sur l’année en cours, indique le groupe qui ne publie pas toutefois de chiffres officiels à fin septembre. La progression depuis le début de l’année est liée pour un tiers à l’effet marchés et pour deux tiers à la collecte, a indiqué un porte-parole du groupe à Newsmanagers.Les encours des fonds de placement Oyster sont stables à environ 5 milliards d’euros, dont 1,64 milliard d’euros pour le fonds Oyster European Opportunities qui affiche une performance proche de 14% depuis le début de l’année. Lors d’une présentation le 8 octobre à Paris, Eric Bendahan, qui gère notamment cette stratégie, a évoqué la moindre exposition du fonds aux marchés émergents et l’augmentation de la pondération de l’Europe du Sud et de la zone euro au détriment du Royaume-Uni et de la Suisse. A noter aussi que la thématique Value (47% du portefeuille) a été renforcée via des banques et des valeurs cycliques domestiques.
Selon Funds People, le groupe andorran Crédit Andorrà, déjà présent en Suisse depuis 2003 au travers de la société genevoise de gestion de fortune Private Investment Management, a annoncé que dans un premier temps il prend une participation de 9,9 % dans la Banque Genevoise de Gestion, créée en 1988 par Anastasio Aleman. L’encours à fin 2012 se situait à 406,6 millions de francs ou 331,3 millions d’euros
Lyxor Asset Management fait coter à dater de ce 8 octobre deux Exchange Traded Funds (ETF) sur des emprunts d’Etats de la zone euro à la Bourse suisse SIX. Cette opération permet aux investisseurs de participer à l'évolution d’ETF obligataires de la famille d’indices EuroMTS Investment Grade Eurozone Government Bonds, indique un communiqué.La série d’indices réplique des emprunts d’Etats de la zone Euro avec des notations de «BBB-" jusqu'à «AAA». Les deux ETF se distinguent dans la maturité des obligations qui composent l’indice. Les emprunts concernés sont assortis d’une réplication physique et d’une maturité comprise entre 10 et 15 ans et de plus de 15 ans. Avec la cotation de ces deux nouveaux produits, Lyxor offre désormais 19 ETFs obligataires sur SIX. En Europe, Lyxor est le numéro trois des émetteurs d’ETF avec des actifs sous gestion d’environ 30 milliards d’euros.
Sopra Banking Software et Gambit Financial Solutions viennent de conclure un partenariat, associant l’expertise des deux entreprises dans le domaine de la gestion du patrimoine. Sopra Banking est une société spécialisée en logiciels bancaires et services associés ; Gambit Financial Solutions est un expert spécialisé dans le conseil en investissement, l’optimisation de portefeuille et la gestion des risques. Leur offre conjointe a été pensée pour aider les banques à mieux servir leurs clients mass affluent et high net-worth.La gestion du patrimoine est un domaine très varié. La banque privée traditionnelle offre aux high net-worth individuals (HNWI) des conseils personnalisés visant à les aider à optimiser leur patrimoine. Cependant, les systèmes informatiques des banques privées, en particulier dans les régions en croissance, ne permettent pas toujours de bien saisir le profil des clients, ni d’apporter une analyse des risques en ligne avec ces profils.Par ailleurs, il existe un segment croissant se situant entre la clientèle de détail et les HNWI : les mass affluent. Cette dernière catégorie est encore très souvent servie par des banques de détail. « Nous avons remarqué que les banques de détail veulent offrir à ce type de clients des services à la hauteur de leur patrimoine, mais qu’elles ne disposent pas des systèmes adaptés, » explique François Moraux, Wealth Management Business Line Manager pour Sopra Banking Software.
Le fournisseur de services au secteur de la gestion d’actifs, Kneip, a annoncé le 8 octobre son déménagement dans de nouveaux locaux à Bruxelles. Située Avenue Louise, la nouvelle implantation rapprochera Kneip des autorités réglementaires et de parties prenantes comme l’association européenne des gestionnaires d’actifs (Efama), souligne la société dans un communiqué.Ce changement permettra aussi à Kneip de moderniser ses infrastructures.
The insurance group Allianz is planning to develop its asset liability management (ALM) capacities in Asia, with plans to install experts in this area at several entities in the region, Asian Investor reports. Allianz has live insurance activities in Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, India, Sri Lanka and Laos. Assets under management in the general account in Asia, particularly in life insurance, total about USD25.6bn.
A group of asset managers and owners have joined forces with the University of Cambridge in a three-year project designed to promote «understanding of how investors can realise positive long-term investment returns by understanding and managing for environmental and social factors,» according to a press statement. The Investment Leaders Group (ILG) currently comprises twelve members: Allianz Global Investors, Aviva Investors, Chandler Corporation, First State Investments, Loomis Sayles, Natixis Asset Management, Nordea Life & Pensions, PensionDanmark, PIMCO, Standard Life Investments, TIAA-CREF Asset Management and Zurich Insurance Group.The group, chaired by Philippe Zaouati, deputy CEO of Natixis Asset Management, head of Mirova investment division, «will work together to explore the degree to which economic, social and environmental factors can influence long-term value creation and become a more integral part of the investment process». Through a series of workstreams, the ILG will identify and test new investment practices involving evidence review, model development, empirical testing, engagement and thought leadership reports. The first workstream will concentrate on developing an understanding of the value of environmental and social factors in investment, while the second will look at how investors could measure and communicate how environmental and social factors can contribute towards a more stable economy and society. Through these activities, the group seeks to create outcomes that will influence the future of the investment industry by improving on current practices.
The Lyxor index of the hedge fund ector gained 1.13% in the month of September, and has gained 3.17% since the beginning of the year, the most recent Lyxor alternative management barometer indicates. Among the best performances last month were L/S Equity-Variable Bias strategies, with gains of 2.28%, L/S Equity – Long Bias, with +1.99%, and Event Driven – Special Situations, with +1.95%.
The HFRI Fund Weighted Composit inde gained 1.6% in September, its largest gains since the beginning of the year, and its best performance in the past 19 months, according to the data provider Hedge Fund Research (HFR). In the month under review, Equity Hedge strategies earned gains of 2.6%, also the highest since January this year. The performance in the first nine months of he year is 9.2%. Event-driven strategies also stood out, with returns of 2% for the month and 9% for the first nine months of the year. Activist strategies show gains of 3.2% in September, and 11.2$ in the first three quarters of the year. Macro funds lost 0.2% in September, while gains for Discretionary Maco funds partly wiped out losses for commodity and systematic strategies.For its part, the Lyxor index of the hedge fund sector gained 1.13% in the month of September, and has gained 3.17% since the beginning of the year, the most recent Lyxor alternative management barometer indicates. Among the best performances last month were L/S Equity-Variable Bias strategies, with gains of 2.28%, L/S Euqity – Long Bias, with +1.99%, and Event Driven – Special Situations, with +1.95%.
HSBC Global Asset Management has recruited the high yield bond specialist Mary Bowers as a senior member of its global fixed income team, Citywire reports. Bowers, who joins the bond team based in New York, previously worked for Aberdeen Asset Management/Artio Global Investors, where she managed about USD4bn in high yield strategies. In her new role at HSBC, Bowers will manage the HSBC GIF Global High Yield Bond fund, whose assets under management total USD1.1bn, and which was previously managed by Guy Dunham since its launch in 2012. Bower will also assume responsibility for the HSBC GIF Global Short Duration High Yield Bond fund, launched in July this year, whose assets under management total USD20bn.
HSBC Global Asset Management has recruited the high yield bond specialist Mary Bowers as a senior member of its global fixed income team, Citywire reports.Bowers, who joins the bond team based in New York, previously worked for Aberdeen Asset Management/Artio Global Investors, where she managed about USD4bn in high yield strategies.In her new role at HSBC, Bowers will manage the HSBC GIF Global High Yield Bond fund, whose assets under management total USD1.1bn, and which was previously managed by Guy Dunham since its launch in 2012. Bower will also assume responsibility for the HSBC GIF Global Short Duration High Yield Bond fund, launched in July this year, whose assets under management total USD20bn.
Deutsche Börse on 8 October finally announced that it has admitted two equity ETFs on the XTF segment of the Xetra electronic trading platform, ComStage ETF FTSE China A50 UCITS ETF and ComStage ETF MSCI World with EM Exposure Net UCITS ETF, which charge fees of 0.40% and 0.50% respectively (see Newsmanagers of 4 October). The number of ETFs listed in Frankfurt is now 1,033.
On 9 October, ALPS Advisors is launching the RiverFront Strategic Income Fund (ticker: RIGS), an actively-managed bond ETF, for which the management firm applied for its first license from the SEC nearly three years ago, Index Universe reports. The portfolio is composed of bonds from the entire world with total durations of 2 to 10 years, with various ratings and in various currencies. The management team may also invest in corporate and government bonds.The total expense ratio is set at 0.22%.
The iShares range of ETFs with hedging for currency risks has been enlarged with the launch of the Irish-registered, UCITS-compliant fund MSCI Japan USD Hedged UCITS ETF. The fund invests in Japanese equities so as to protect investors against fluctuations in the dollar/yen exchange rate. It is a physical replication ETF, which uses currency futures to reduce currency risks. The fund offers monthly coverage. David Benmussa, director of clients at iShares in Paris, says that the range of equity and bond ETFs hedged for currency risk now includes six funds registered in France. Characteristics Name: iShares MSCI Japan USD Hedged UCITS ETFBenchmark index: MSCI Japan Index(SM)ISIN code: IE00BCLWRG39 Total expense ratio: 0.64%
NYSE Euronext on 8 October announced that it has admitted the Lyxor ETF CSI3000 A Chinese equities, which replicates the CSI 300 Net Total Return index. The total expense ratio is set at 0.40%. The European markets of NYSE Euronext now list 564 ETFs 654 times.
The French asset management boutique Sucomore Asset Management is planning to make its long/short equity fund aailable in UCITS format beyond its home market, Citywire Global reports. The Sycomore L/S Opportunities fund, managed by Gilles Sitbon, with assets under management of EUR84m, is currently registered for sale only in France. As the strategy celebrates its third birthday, Sycomore has recently registered it in Germany and Switzerland and the United Kingdom is on the list of the countries in which the fund may soon be registered. The fund has earned returns of nearly 26% in the three years to the end of September 2013, compared with average returns of 10.73% for the Alternative UCITS Long/Short Equity sector.
Natixis Global Asset Management has launched the ASG Tactical US Market Fund, an open-ended fund dedicated to equities designed by AlphaSimplex Group (ASG). The fund will aim to participate in rising periods on US equity markets, while minimising the impact of falling periods. The exposure of the fund to the market is determined by a proprietary loss risk indicator developed by ASG. If the indicator is favourable, the fund may use derivatives to increase its beta up to 1.3.
In September, Michael Millar joined the Asian equity team at the Scottish asset management firm Martin Currie in Edinburgh, the firm announced on 8 October. Millar will report to Andrew Graham, investment director, head of Asia.Millar had previously been managing director and regional head of research at Naeem Brokerage in Cairo. Before that, he spent seven years at Société Générale, where he served as director, head of Asia telecoms research.
Charles Schwab has announced that it has decided to postpone the launch of its 401 (k) retirement platform using ETFs, a project it had announced in March 2011, IndexUniverse reports. Some observers are still asking whether it is useful to be able to trade ETFs on a daily basis for retirement plans, but none deny that the transparency and low cost of ETFs would be welcome in the 401(k) universe. The firm had planned to launch the platform in late 2013. After having to delay the launch, Charles Schwab is no longer setting a date. Regulatory questions remain in suspense and the firm simply states that the launch may come by the end of the year or later.
The bank Julius Baer is continuing its crusade to settle the issue of funds which are undeclared to tax authorities. In Europe, it is calling on all of its clients, where applicable, to regularize their situation, and is requiring supplementary documents, CEO Boris Collardi has told Finanz und Wirtschaft magazine. In Germany and France, the approach is working well, In Switzerland, by the end of the year, there will be virtually no German clients left who have not settled up with the tax authorities. In the case of the United Kingdom and Austria, tax issues have been resolved and the CEO is expecting progress in Italy as well after the political situation has stabilised. According to Collardi, the issue of funds not declared to tax authorities is expected to be settled by 2015, and he says he is serene with respect to Europe.
Lyxor Asset Management on 8 October listed two exchange-traded funds (ETF) based on euro zone government bond on the Swiss SIX stock exchange. The operation allows investors to participate in the evolution of the bond ETF of the EuroMTS Investment Grade Eurozone Government Bonds index family, a statement says. The series of indices replicates euro zone government bonds with ratings of BBB- to AAA. The two ETFs are distinguished by the uration of the bonds which make up the index. The bonds concerned are invested in via physical replication and have a total duration to maturity of 10 to 15 years and more than 15 years. With the listing of these two new products, Lyxor now offers 19 bonds ETFs on SIX. In Europe, Lyxor is the third-largest issuer of ETFs, with assets under management of about EUR30bn.
Funds People reports that the Andorran group Crédit Andorrà, which has been present in Switzerland since 2003 via the Geneva-based wealth management firm Private Investment Management, has announced that it will initially be acquiring a 9.9% stake in the Banque Genevoise de Gestion, founded in 1988 by Anastasio Aleman. Assets as of the end of 2012 total CHF406.6m, or EUR331.3m.
Assets under management by the Swiss Syz group now total about EUR27bn, up by a little less than 15% during the current year, the group says, though it has not published official statistics for the end of September. The increase since the beginning of the year is one third due to market effects and two thirds to inflows, a spokesperson for the group tells Newsmanagers. Assets in the Oyster invesftment fund are stable at about EUR5bn, including EUR1.64bn for the Oyster European Opportunities fund, which has posted returns of nearly 14% since the beginning of the year. During a presentation in Paris on 8 October, Eric Bendahan, who also manages the strategy, cites the lower exposure of the fund to emerging marktes, and the increased weight of Southern Europe and the euro zone, to the detriment of the United Kingdom and Switzerland. It is also notable that the Value theme (47% of the portfolio) has been reinforced with banks and domestic cyclical equities.
Generali Investments Europe, the asset management firm of the Generali Group, has recruited Wilfrid Pham as director of the equity department, and Vivek Watadey as head of credit research. Pham had previously been CIO and director of the equity department at Natixis Asset Management in Paris. He will reinforce the current organization of the equity management team, composed of over 20 people. Tawadey was previously head of research and strategy, in charge of a team of 15 people at BNP Paribas in Paris. His mission will be to consolidate expertise in the credit research team. Generali Investments Europe has assets under management of EUR320bn.
BATS Chi-X Europe has announced plans to launch its pan-European listings business and iShares, the exchange-traded funds (ETF) platform of BlackRock, will become the first issuer to list on the Regulated Market segment of the exchange. The initial ETFs, the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF (Ticker: IEEM) and iShares MSCI World Minimum Volatility UCITS ETF (Ticker: MVOL) are scheduled to commence trading on BATS Chi-X Europe in November 2013 as secondary listings.
The future Norwegian prime minister, Erna Solberg, has announced that her government is planning to create a fund with NOK100bn in the next five years, which will be dedicated to infrastructure in the country, the Wall Street Jounral reports. The move comes as part of plans to boost spending by the government on roads, railways, high-speed Internet, etc. Unlike the USD750bn oil fund, which invests in equities, bonds and foreign real estate, the new USD16bn fund will offer stable capacities for projects within the borders of Norway. It is not yet known whether the government will take money from the Oil Fund to create the new vehicle.