Property and real estate investments are in general considered as safe-haven investments because bricks and mortar are real assets which can survive a storm in the equity markets. This claim can be considered as true if an investor invests directly into property. But as fund managers try to optimize the return for their investors, this…
The global fund industry has come under pressure as asset managers have witnessed an increasing demand for ESG investments. An increasing number of investors want to make a positive impact on ecological and/or social goals with their investments. Therefore, they would need more transparency on the integration of ESG criteria within the portfolio management process,…
Asset managers around the globe face increasing pressure on management fees since the performance of the average active manager is in a number of cases worse than the performance of their passive peers. One reason for this underperformance can be attributed to the level of fees and expenses charged by active managers since the underperformance…
The coronavirus pandemic hit the European fund industry with declining markets and estimated net outflows of €125.9 bn in the first quarter of 2020. The flows were mainly driven by developments around the spread of the coronavirus and the lockdowns of economies around the globe since these circumstances may lead to a global recession with…
The whole world switched into crisis mode due to the rapid spread of the coronavirus across the globe, sparking a pandemic which closed many businesses and led to lockdowns in some countries. For the asset management industry, this means that most of the employees are now working in a virtual office environment, also known as…
European investors switched to a risk-off mode in February due to uncertainties over a possible shortage in supply chains caused by the outbreak of the coronavirus in China and the respective increased volatility on the global equity markets. Nevertheless, long-term mutual funds posted net inflows for the month. Bond funds (+€30.4 bn) were the best-selling…
The latest headlines about property funds in the UK seem to indicate the herd behavior of investors may lead to the next shake up of the fund industry in Europe. The M&G Property Portfolio fund became the first fund product to be gated because it couldn’t meet the demand for share redemptions. This all happened…
Fund managers and investors are still often confused over the definition of environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing because there is no single definition of ESG. This is despite all indications that the integration of ESG criteria in all portfolio management processes is the inevitable future of the asset management industry. In addition to the…
It seems like the concerns of European investors regarding general economic growth and, therefore, declining earnings, are gone. This is in spite of continued uncertainty over Brexit and the trade war between China and the U.S. As a result, November was the ninth month during which long-term mutual funds posted net inflows this year. Equity…
November was another positive month for the European ETF industry as the promoters of ETFs in Europe enjoyed above average inflows in November. These led, in combination with the positive performance of the underlying markets, to an increase in assets under management in the European ETF industry from €809.3 bn as of October 31, 2019,…