What is your initial reaction to the outcome? No major reaction in our portfolios since our positioning was already implicitly discounting such risk. We had short future positions on BTPs in our Euro fixed income portfolios (Oyster EURO Fixed Income and Oyster Multi-Asset Absolute Return EUR), we had put option… Read More »
Columbia Threadneedle maintains a positive outlook on Japan and expect more tailwinds (rising corporate profits, tax cuts, Olympics-related demand, rising immigration) to continue. We wrote about our positive outlook on Japan from the viewpoint of corporate governance reform, labour market reform and relative competitiveness of Japanese companies. Our constructive view remains… Read More »
The “Insurance solvency regulation systems” report, prepared by MAPFRE Economic Research and presented today at Fundación MAPFRE – the institution that publishes the study – shows that in recent years, especially following the last financial crises, there has been a process of progressive and asymmetric convergence worldwide toward risk-based regulations… Read More »
State Street Global Advisors, the asset management business of State Street Corporation (NYSE: STT), today announced that Lochiel Crafter has been named head of its Global Institutional Group, effective immediately, responsible for distribution efforts across the world. Crafter, who will be based in Boston, previously served as head of Asia… Read More »
Essilor (Euronext Paris: EI) and Luxottica (MTA: LUX) today announce that the proposed combination between the two companies has been cleared by the European Commission without conditions. The European Union is one of the jurisdictions where antitrust approvals are a condition precedent to the closing of the transaction. To date,… Read More »
US equity indices have tended to go up with bond yields since the turn of the century. History suggests the correlation will remain predominantly positive until 10-year yields reach 5% and we are not convinced lower growth/inflation will change that. An analysis of the dividend yield gap gives the same… Read More »
As the Five Stars Movement has shelved its plan for a Referendum about the euro membership, markets have relaxed about the Italian elections with spreads against Germany still close to two-year lows. The most likely scenario is one of an inconclusive election, followed by weeks of negotiations and a coalition… Read More »
The importance of quiet spaces is growing dramatically all over the world, as open-plan offices have become the norm. The Finnish company Framery updated the traditional phone booth for the modern office environment and is now the globally leading supplier of soundproof office solutions. The shared goal of the private… Read More »
S&T Technologies GmbH, a subsidiary of the Austria-based technology group S&T AG, assumes the role of software- and technology center for S&T and Kontron by expanding its current Linz offices and adding offices in Augsburg. It will complement the Kontron hardware portfolio with Embedded software and Industrial IoT Solutions. In… Read More »
While February economic surveys suggest some slowing, latest PMIs continue to signal solid economic expansion. In particular, February flash PMIs, while losing momentum, remain close to historic highs and suggest broad-based expansion among Eurozone members in the services and manufacturing sectors. Overall, current levels are in line with a 0.9%… Read More »
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