Alternative Investments
The global alternative investment space now sits at more than $9 trillion in global assets, and we’re just getting started. Roughly 40% of RIAs are using alternative investments. With the RIA space expanding and alternative investment demand rising among investors – a surge in data, news, and opinion will continue. This channel cuts through the noise to give you the most important actionable insight.
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SP Funds has expanded its suite of Sharia-compliant funds with the launch of The SP Funds S&P Global Technology ETF (SPTE) on the New York Stock Exchange. As North America’s largest family of Shariah-compliant exchange-traded funds (ETFs), SP Funds aims to provide investors access to cutting-edge technological advancements through SPTE.
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Real Estate Economic Forecast is Rather “Meh” About Real Estate
The Real Estate Economic Forecast – authored by Urban Land institute – hit the street today.
It’s not as bad as we might have expected.
The survey offers a consensus forecast of 41 economists and analysts at 32 leading real estate organizations.
RRJ Capital: There’s Gold In Those Eastern Roads
RRJ Capital isn’t a household name to most Western investors. But the Asian private equity firm is tapping into an asset class that often goes ignored: Toll roads.
Mapletree Commercial Buys Google’s HQ in Singapore
Mapletree Commercial Trust has purchased Google’s Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore. The acquisition is part of an S$1.55 billion ($1.14 billion) deal for four buildings in Pasir Panjang.
AssetMark Financial Holdings Buys OBS Financial
AssetMark Financial Holdings announced an agreement with Canandaigua National Corporation to buy OBS Financial. OBS is a turnkey asset management platform.
Dennis White Takes Over Massive Chicago Pension Fund (and More People on the Move)
The Chicago Municipal Employees’ Annuity & Benefit Fund has appointed Dennis White as the new executive director of the $3.8 billion fund. White will replace Jim Mohler, who recently left the fund to take over the $1.3 billion Chicago Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Retirement Fund.
U.N.’s Interim Report on Harnessing Digitalization in Financing of Sustainable Development Goals
On November 29, 2018, the Secretary-General constituted a 17-member task force on Digital Financing of Sustainable Development Goals.
Citadel Launches Zurich Office (And People on the Move)
Hedge fund Citadel is launching a new office in Zurich. The new space will host its marketing-arm, Citadel Securities, according to the firm. This division is one of the world’s top shops for high-frequency trading.
GSAM European ETF Ready for Lift Off
The GSAM European ETF is a sign that Goldman Sachs expanding its role on the passive investing craze. Here’s the latest news on the ETF launch on Thursday.
As Losses Pile Up, Woodford Fund Suspension Extended By 28 Days
The Woodford Equity Income Fund is bleeding but remains suspended.
Fund administrator Link Fund Solutions confirmed the Woodford fund suspension would continue for another 28 days regardless of losses.
After completing the fourth 28-day review, Link said it had decided that it “remains in the interests of all investors for the suspension of dealings to continue.”
Responsible Investing in Commodities is Possible: OFI Asset Management
Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) objectives are not incompatible with commodity investing says an OFI portfolio manager. Certainly, ESG in commodities is possible through proactive asset management, according to Benjamin Louvet, commodities portfolio manager at OFI AM. How the twain shall meet One very simple method is to drop an offending sector or industry from…
US Fed Cuts Rates by 25 Bps; Trump Says Fed Has No Guts
As expected, the Fed cut interest rates to sustain the economy but was non-committal on future cuts.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell painted an optimistic picture of the US economy, citing buoyant labor markets and inflation nearing targets.
However, the 25 basis points rate cut addressed ongoing risks such as tepid global growth and trade wars.
Deutsche Bank Joins JPMorgan Blockchain Project
The project now serves 320 banks around the globe on cross-border payments The JPMorgan Blockchain Project just got another big player in the blockchain game. Deutsche Bank has joined JP Morgan Chase’s Interbank Information Network (IIN). This is the financial industry’s single largest blockchain initiative. The data-sharing product features the connection of 320 banks on top…
Credit Card Startup Petal Arranges $300 Million Debt Facility From Jefferies
Credit card startup Petal, which promises credit for an irresponsible world, expanded its Jefferies debt facility.
Petal had arranged a $30 million debt facility with Jefferies a year ago. The startup is now expanding the arrangement to $300 million for boosting its card program.
Swiss Pension Fund Allocations Hit a Record
Swiss pension funds’ allocations to alternative assets surpass 10% for the first time.
A study by European consultancy Complementa finds that Swiss pension funds have taken to alternative assets in a big way. The primary impetus for this trend appears to be the current low-interest-rate environment.
ESMA warns EU asset managers that all is not well
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) said asset managers faced a deteriorating industry outlook and very high market risk
In its most recent Trends Risks and Vulnerabilities Report for 2019, ESMA identifies several factors working to the detriment of the EU asset management industry.
Preqin: Alternative Assets in Europe Surge
Europe ranks second in the global pecking order of alternative asset markets. Over 6,300 fund managers and 3,000 institutional investors are responsible for €1.62 trillion worth of alternative assets.
Preqin has released its latest report on the European alternatives market during 2019.
Recession or not? 60% of Americans think ‘yes’ in uncanny 2007 deja vu
An ABC/Washington Post poll finds six out of ten Americans expect a recession in 2020
That’s nearly the same result as the 69% opinion observed in November 2007, some months before the global financial crisis.
Americans are despondent from the U.S.-China trade wars, and this despite an economic climate of low unemployment.
REIT Industry Shows Growth in Acquisitions
The National Association for Real Estate Investment Trusts (Nareit) has released its report of the performance of the REIT industry in the second quarter of 2019. The association found that Funds from Operations (FFO) totaled $16.5 billion, a 2.8% increase from the first quarter of 2019 while Net operating income totaled $24.8 billion, 2.4% higher…
ECB announces massive stimulus; Trump cries foul
The European Central Bank launched a new bond buying package and cut deposit rates to stimulate the Eurozone economy
The central bank said it will purchase assets worth € 20 billion ($ 21.9 billion) every month until such time as necessary.
Real Estate is the Top Long-Term Asset, According to Survey
SophisticatedInvestor.com recently took a survey of over 2000 investors between the ages of 35 and 65. Real estate is the top asset class for the long-term, according to a recent survey. Roughly 22% of respondents to the Sophisticated Investor survey deemed it so. Even more interesting is that 25% of those respondents between 45 and…
Pension Funding Deficits at UK-Listed Companies Hit £67 Billion as Yields Drop
Funding deficits at defined benefit pension plans for the top 350 listed companies in the UK touched a two-year high in August
According to consulting firm Mercer, funding deficits at these pensions bloated by £16 billion to £67 billion as of August 30 from £51 billion in July.
Investors plow money into precious metal ETFs
Fears of a recession are driving investors to safe-haven precious metal ETFs
Precious metals have quietly come out of nowhere and are hitting new highs.
Macroeconomic factors such as trade wars, fears of a global recession and political turmoil such as Brexit are to blame.
People on the Move: AG & Co., TigerRisk Partners, Bookend Capital, and Clarion Capital
TigerRisk Partners Appoints New CEO People on the Move for September 5, 2019 TigerRisk Partners appointed James Few to the role of CEO at its London office. Few now reports to company President and COO Rob Bredahl. He comes over from MS Amlin where he modernized the firm’s global reinsurance business. Few leads a busy…
Starboard Value Takes 7.5% Stake in Cloud Storage Firm Box Inc.
The activist fund takes a stake in an underperforming cloud services firm. Starboard Value has purchased a 7.5% stake in the cloud storage company Box Inc. The activist hedge fund called the cloud services giant “undervalued.” Jeffrey Smith’s firm is now the second-largest shareholder after Vanguard Group. Box stock was off 40% in 2019 prior…