Bruxelles renvoie dos à dos Paris et Berlin
La Commission durcit le ton vis-à-vis des énormes excédents courants de l'Allemagne
La BNS est aux prises avec une économie suisse engluée dans la déflation
Pour atteindre l’objectif d'inflation de -0,2% fixé par la banque centrale pour 2013, les prix doivent rebondir de 0,1% au dernier trimestre
La réforme financière est au cœur des priorités chinoises
La troisième Assemblée plénière du 18e Congrès du Parti Communiste Chinois qui se tiendra ce week-end dressera le calendrier des réformes
Le système des quotas carbone condamnerait l'aluminium européen
Le CEPS publie une étude commanditée par Bruxelles. Seule l’Allemagne tire son épingle du jeu en compensant massivement le surcoût par des subventions
Bruxelles renvoie dos à dos Paris et Berlin
La Commission durcit le ton vis-à-vis des énormes excédents courants de l'Allemagne
La Chine veut rassurer sur la transformation de son économie
Les ajustements économiques structurels actuellement à l’œuvre en Chine, qui visent notamment à accroître l’emploi et les revenus disponibles, vont stimuler l’évolution des pays émergents et seront en définitive favorables au développement durable pour l’économie mondiale, rapporte l’organe de presse du Parti Communiste Chinois sans citer de source.
Chypre en désaccord avec la Troïka sur les cessions d’actifs
Chypre est en désaccord avec la Troïka (FMI, BCE, Commission européenne) sur le calendrier de privatisation des entreprises publiques du secteur portuaire, électrique et des télécoms, rapporte l’agence grecque sans citer de source. La Troïka demande au gouvernement chypriote d’accélérer le processus alors que ce dernier souhaite attendre les conclusions d’un rapport commandé au cabinet d’audit PwC.
L’allemand Universal s'allie à Daiwa sur les actions nippones
Daiwa SB Investments a l’intention de diffuser ses stratégies actions japonaises en Europe en s’appuyant sur le fonds allemand Universal-Investment, rapporte le site financier. Ce partenariat s’est traduit le 4 novembre par le lancement conjoint du Japan Equity Fundamental Active Fund, qui devrait obtenir un agrément de commercialisation en Allemagne et au Royaume-Uni sous deux semaines.
La Commission touche au but sur l'Euribor
La Commission européenne pourrait infliger dès le mois prochain des amendes pour manipulation du taux interbancaire, notamment au Crédit Agricole et à la Société Générale, dans le cadre d’accords négociés. Elles pourraient atteindre plusieurs centaines de millions d’euros.
Accélération de la croissance des services aux Etats-Unis
La croissance du secteur des services a, contre toute attente, retrouvé des couleurs le mois dernier aux Etats-Unis, les entreprises ayant multiplié les embauches malgré la fermeture partielle des services fédéraux intervenue pendant la première quinzaine d’octobre, a annoncé l’Institute for Supply Management (ISM). Son indice est ainsi ressorti à 55,4 contre 54,4 en septembre et un niveau de 54 qui avait été anticipé en moyenne par les économistes.
Le Sénat rejette la réforme des retraites
Le Sénat a rejeté hier à l’unanimité le projet de loi de réforme des retraites, la majorité refusant de voter un texte complètement modifié par l’opposition et le Front de gauche au regard de la version adoptée à l’Assemblée nationale. Cette dernière, qui a constitutionnellement le dernier mot, devrait procéder à la lecture définitive de la réforme fin novembre-début décembre.
La CRPN investit dans des fonds d'infrastructures dites matures
Olivier Grolleau, responsable de la gestion diversifiée à la CRPN, à la rédaction de www.institinvest.com : Nous investissons dans des fonds d’infrastructures dites matures (« brownfield ») en Europe, plus précisément dans le secteur des transports (péages, tunnels, ports, aéroports, etc.) et de l'énergie (stockage et transport). L’offre sous forme de FCPR étant très réduite, nous travaillons aujourd’hui uniquement avec Antin Infrastructure Partners et Macquarie. Nous investissons également dans les énergies renouvelables en privilégiant les entreprises dont l’activité contribue à l’amélioration de l’efficacité énergétique. Par exemple, nous avons en portefeuille un fonds possédant une société qui développe une technologie permettant d’orienter les panneaux solaires en fonction de la course du soleil dans la journée et ainsi d’améliorer leur rendement.
L'AFT précise son programme d'adjudication de janvier 2014
«Au vu du calendrier 2014, l’adjudication de titres à long terme aura lieu le jeudi 9 janvier 2014 et les adjudications de titres à moyen terme et indexés aura lieu le jeudi 23 janvier 2014», indique l’Agence France Trésor dans un communiqué. L’AFT communiquera le 20 décembre 2013 les détails du programme indicatif de financement de l’État pour l’an prochain.
Accélération de la croissance des services aux Etats-Unis
La croissance du secteur des services a, contre toute attente, retrouvé des couleurs le mois dernier aux Etats-Unis, les entreprises ayant multiplié les embauches malgré la fermeture partielle des services fédéraux intervenue pendant la première quinzaine d’octobre, a annoncé l’Institute for Supply Management (ISM). Son indice est ainsi ressorti à 55,4 contre 54,4 en septembre et un niveau de 54 qui avait été anticipé en moyenne par les économistes.
Monaco va adhérer à la convention fiscale de l'OCDE
La principauté va adhérer «dès que possible» à la Convention multilatérale d’assistance administrative mutuelle de l’OCDE pour lutter contre la fraude et l'évasion fiscale. Une lettre d’intention a été remise mardi par José Badia, conseiller du gouvernement monégasque pour les relations extérieures de Monaco, à Pascal Saint-Amans, directeur du centre de politique et d’administration fiscales de l’OCDE.
05/11/2013
Assogestioni selects Russell Reynolds as advisor for governance
The Corporate governance committee at Assogestioni, the Italian association of asset managers, has proposed the headhunter Russell Reynolds Associates as the new advisor for the next season of general shareholders’ meetings. The association relies on an external provider to select the candidates to be on the election or nomination lists for board members and other bodies at publicly-traded businesses.
05/11/2013
Launch of first offshore RQFII ETF in New York
DBX Advisors, which is owned by Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management (DeAWM), as well as Harvest Global Investment, the Hong Kong-based firm in which DeAWM controls 30% is this week in New York expected to launch the first offshore ETF under RQFII mandates (RMB qualified foreign institutional investor), Asian Investor reports. According to a Hong Kong manager, this would be a less costly means to access the European market, since creating a London office is too expensive. According to various sources, the db x-trackers Harvest China Fund, which replicates the CSI 300 index, may be listed on the New York Stock Exchange on 6 November.
05/11/2013
Axa IM plans to grow service to third-party clients
Axa Investment Management would like to develop its activities with third-party clients clients, Joseph Pinto, global head of markets and investment strategy, stated before the weekend at a weekly press conference. Pinto did not quantify the objectives of the firm, as the developments planned will depend on the geographical situation and the structure of the markets considered. Currently, captive assets under management represent 67% of total assets, compared with 33% for external clients, of which 19% are for institutional investor clients. In Europe, Axa IM is targeting a market share of about 2% in the United Kingdom. Currently, its retail market share has slightly over 2%, but its institutional market share is lower than 0.5%. In Asia, although activities are having difficulty getting started in India, joint ventures in Korea and China are functioning very satisfactorily. Inflows to joint ventures with Kyobo in Korea and Shanghai Pudong development Bank in China have totalled nearly EUR1bn since the beginning of the year, distributed equally between the two firms, Pinto states.
05/11/2013
Trusteam Finance takes control of Alcyone Finance
Trusteam Finance has announced that it took over Alcyone Finance on Monday, 4 November, along with its asset management and wealth engineering activities. The operation will make it possible to “strengthen the range of house financial products and services, meet the increased needs for performance and the needs of clients for wealth management, institutional management and corporate cash management,” a statement says. In practice, the mutual fund management and wealth engineering activities provided by Alcyone Finance will soon be moved to Trusteam Finance. Assets under managemment total about EUR50m, largely invested in equity funds. In an interview with Newsmanagers, Jean-Sebastien Beslay, founding partner of Trusteam Finance, pointed to the complementarity of management at the two firms, due to the expertise in SRI at Alcyone Finance. The firm has two funds of this nature on sale, and has also signed a partnership with the Care association.
05/11/2013
Former EdRIM employee to co-manage Tocqueville Dividende
Tocqueville Finance has hired Michel Saugné to take over as fund manager of the Tocqueville Dividende fund. He will co-manage the fund with Don Fitzgerald. Since 2004, Saugné had worked at LCF Rothschild, where, after serving as senior manager and a member of the investment board at Edmond de Rothschild Multi Management, and then as head of the alternative multi-management activity, was since 2011 co-head of the direct alternative management activity at LCF Rothschild, at Edmond de Rothschild Investment Managers. Saugné will assist with development and innovation in products and management, Tocqueville Finance says.
05/11/2013
JPMorgan succumbs to pressure on fees
JPMorgan Asset Management will respond to pressure from investors concerning its fees, by lowering performance fees for its funds, Financial Times fund management reports. The US-based asset management firm is planning to “smooth out” its performance fees over three years, according to Mike O’Brien, global head of institutionals at JPMorgan Asset Management. This will make the funds less costly, with the periods of poor performance taken into account.
05/11/2013
SAC Capital pays USD1.8bn fine
SAC Capital Advisors, the hedge fund run by Steven Cohen, has pleaded guilty to insider trading and agreed to pay a fine of USD1.8bn, the Financial Times reports. Investigators are continuing to investigate transactions by the founder of SAC Capital, however, which suggests that uncertainty still surrounds him. The hedge fund has agreed to stop its activities for third parties. The fine includes USD1.2bn to settle criminal charges and USD616m to settle civil accusations. It becomes the largest fine ever paid for fraud.
05/11/2013
Firm based in Alaska launches three funds in Europe
McKinley Capital, an asset management firm based in Alaska, is launching three funds in Europe and the United Kingdom. The three products, in UCITS format, are all growth equity funds. The first is an emerging market fund, the second a dividend fund, and the third is a global fund.
05/11/2013
SRI fund market rises
The European socially responsible fund sector has reached assets of EUR108bn as of the end of June 2013, a gain of 14% year on year, according to the report “Green, Social and Ethical Funds in Europe,” of which Plus24 has obtained a copy. The study takes into account 922 funds, compared with 884 the previous year. In geographical terms, France remains the largest market for SRI retail funds, but its share has fallen to 7%, with EUR38bn. The United Kingdom comes next (EUR10.5bn), followed by the Netherlands and Switzerland (EUR10bn). Italy, with its 12 SRI funds, represents EUR2.3bn, 2% more than in 2012.
05/11/2013
UBP replaces PM of US growth equities mandate
Union Bancaire Privée has awarded Geneva Capital Management, a firm based in Milwaukee, a US growth equities mandate, Citywire reports. The midcaps firm replaces Calmos Investment, which had managed UBAM Calamos US Equity Growth since December 2003. The fund will now be renamed as UBAM – GCM Midcap US Equity Growth.
05/11/2013
Hedge fund salaries increased again in 2013
Salaries for junior professionals working in the hedge fund sector increased for the third consecutive year, to USD335,000 for 2013, according to the most recent edition of the Glocap Hedge Fund Compensation report, the International Business Times reports. The average salary for an analyst at a moderately-well performing hedge fund firm was inflated by bonuses equivalent to up to 10%. The most experienced professionals in the sector also received significant raises, with portfolio managers at the largest firms pocketing an average of USD2.2m per year. Bonuses for experienced professionals ranged, however, from -5% to +20%. For the hedge fund sector overall, the average income has increased by a range of 5% to 10%, in a sign of investor confidence.
05/11/2013
Euro MMFs increase their exposure to top-rated banks and quasi-sovereigns
In third quarter 2013, euro money market funds shows higher allocation towards top-held ‘F1+' banks and quasi-sovereigns, amid a portfolio rating mix dominated by ‘F1' issuers, and a lengthening of portfolios’ average maturity to compensate for low yields, according to Fitch Ratings’ 3Q13 quarterly report. Fitch-rated European MMFs denominated in euros have on average about half of their portfolio assets concentrated in 20 entities, led by Rabobank (AA/F1+) and other highly rated banks, such as Nordea Bank, HSBC, Svenska Handelsbanken, or Standard Chartered Bank (all rated AA-/F1+).. ‘F1'-rated banks, such as Barclays, BNP Paribas and Credit Agricole, saw the biggest fall in fund allocation over the past year, although they remain among the top held names, notably as repurchase agreement counterparties. Yet, the average portfolio rating mix is now showing a predominance of investments rated ‘F1', or equivalent, at 54% of portfolios on average, up from 35% until June this year. This is due to the downgrade of France’s Long-term Issuer Default Rating to ‘AA+' in July, followed by the downgrade of the most widely held French banks to ‘F1' from ‘F1+'.
05/11/2013
Legal & General IM to target continental Europe
Legal & General Investment Management has obtained permission to launch a Sicav with three sub-funds in Luxembourg, Financial Times fund management reports. Five other sub-funds are expected to follow. The British firm will license the funds in 12 other European countries. This marks the first incursion by L&G IM outside the United Kingdom in 177 years. The firm will target high net worth private investors.
05/11/2013
UBS working to create a new affiliate
The UBS group is planning to create an affiliate in which several activities could be housed, including the Retail & Corporate department and wealth management in Switzerland, according to NZZ, which has detected a few entries related to the project in the latest quarterly report from the bank. This is related to a strategic decision by UBS not to be “too big to fail,” the Swiss newspaper says. However, it should be noted that final decisions concerning the contours of this new structure have not yet been taken.
05/11/2013
UBP hopes to grow in the UK
Following the integration of the private banking activities of Lloyds, as of 1 November, Union Bancaire Privée (UBP) is hoping to grow on the British market. “We don’t have any foreign acquisition plans, except perhaps in London, We are going to take advantage of the integration of Lloyds to strengthen our presence in the United Kingdom. It is currently difficult to provide growth for a Swiss bank without a presence on the European market,” the CEO of UBP, Guy de Picciotto, has told Agefi Switzerland, and has confirmed that the firm has not made a bid for BSI.