Category: Articles

Insight Report: Impact Investments 2015 - Global Opportunities is a market research analyzing the potential of impact investment in six regions covering North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa.

The survey reveals that a significant majority (68%) of employers favoured retaining at least some level of initial tax relief for pension contributions. Offering one level of tax relief for all savers was the most popular option (29%), with no changes to the current structure close behind (27%). The Chancellor’s proposal of levelling pension tax […]

These dynamics place additional pressure on margins and are leading managers to seek new growth strategies, according to The evolving dynamics of the hedge fund industry, EY’s 2015 Global Hedge Fund and Investor Survey. Regulations such as Basel III and Dodd-Frank have caused banks and their prime brokerage businesses to focus more closely on liquidity, […]

Improving Data and New Labor Department Guidance Address Two Big Hurdles for Investments Tied to Social and Environmental Issues; Merrill Lynch Wealth Institute Whitepaper and Investor Survey Examine the Evolution of Impact Investing

Assets managed by the world’s 500 largest fund managers rose by just over 2% in 2014 to reach a new high of $78.1trn, compared to $76.4trn the year before, according to research by global professional services company Towers Watson and Pensions and Investments, a leading U.S. investment newspaper. The Pensions & Investments/Towers Watson World 500 […]

unbiased.co.uk’s head of advice, Claire Walsh, has discussed the figures, which highlighted the increased need for advice following new reforms. The new data from unbiased.co.uk also shows that:•Pensions accounted for 49% of all search refinements on the site since the introduction of pension freedoms•Pension search queries increased 68% from April 2014 – April 2015•Pension searches […]

Developed Markets Ex-U.S. and U.S. Mid Cap Latest Introductions

New Members Increase Focus on Sustainability as the Council Celebrates a Decade of Engagement

Scepter Partners, a standing syndicate of ultra-high net worth individuals and sovereign investors, confirms that on 20 October 2015 it made a non‐binding indicative proposal to acquire 100% of Santos Limited, a significant independent oil and gas company in Australia.

New research from Grant Thornton’s International Business Report (IBR), a quarterly survey of 2,500+ business leaders in 36 economies, reveals the extent to which contagion caused by China’s economic slowdown is spreading to businesses around the world.

Long-Term Retirement Goals Lose Out to Short-Term Financial Pressures, Finds Natixis Retirement Savings Study

The LCJ FX Macro Strategy is a fundamental and discretionary global macro strategy expressed through currencies.

Green Key Technologies, winner of the 2015 most promising sell-side start up award and maker of patented voice software designed specifically for traders and brokers, today announced that Chicago-based trading firms DRW and Eagle Seven have become equity owners.

Amelia Renkert-Thomas, Co-founder of family business consultancy Withers Consulting Group, outlines the need for governance and the different approaches family offices can take to it, in partnership with the Family Office Association.

Qatar might not be the first emerging market that springs to an investor’s mind - or even the first in the Gulf region - but recent months have shown that its economy boasts a combination of significant advantages: a long-term investment plan and a level of resilience to external economic shocks and commodity price fluctuations.

Hybrid companies which combine a digital platform and a real life in-demand service on the ground are on the rise. Michael Bruce, CEO of Purplebricks.com, looks at how this revolutionary business model offers opportunities for growth and where investors can look to find the next hybrid superstar.

Using your money to ‘do good while doing well’ was previously perceived to be limited to wealthy individuals who could afford to gift their money to charities or even establish foundations to facilitate their philanthropic efforts.

Whilst it has never been acceptable to evade tax, the UK has been allowing people to regularise their affairs with favourable amnesty terms. That toleration is about to change. As has been observed: a ticking time bomb now exists under tax dispensations.

Mid-year report uncovers key investment trends in European fund and ETF market; Broadridge partners with MackayWilliams for data analysis and research.

When Vernon Hill’s Metro Bank opened its doors in 2010 it became the UK’s first new high street bank in 150 years.

Tech Bureau, whose CEO is Takao Asayama, announces Mijin, a low­ cost solution for creating permissioned blockchains.

ARK Investment Management LLC, an active manager of thematic exchange-traded funds (ETFs), is pleased to announce that the ARK Web x.0 ETF has become the first ETF to invest in bitcoin. ARK has made its investment for ARK Web x.0 ETF through the purchase of publicly traded shares of Grayscale’s Bitcoin Investment Trust.

Trust is the most important factor in building a business from the ground up. As the CEO and founder of Opportunity Network, creating a sense of total trust is critical to my business.

Despite market fluctuations occasionally drawing deep breaths from investors as global economies endeavour to move on from the global financial crisis, investment managers have generally enjoyed returning stability and significantly improved trading conditions in recent years.

Laureola Advisors was established to provide conservative investors easy access to the opportunities inherent in the alternative asset class of life settlements. We got in touch with Tony Bremness, Managing Director at Laureola Advisors, on how life settlements allow investors to sleep well through turbulent markets.

In the past, entrepreneurs looking to get a business off the ground turned to angel networks and venture capitals for investment. However, there has been a significant shift in where companies are seeking investment, as a result of the increase in alternative financing options.

Ogier has announced the appointment of Bryon Rees as a partner in its market-leading funds and corporate practice in Guernsey.

KSL Capital Partners, LLC announces that it has completed the final closing of its latest travel and leisure focused private equity fund, KSL Capital Partners IV, L.P., with total commitments of $2.677 billion, including the commitment of the General Partner.

There has been an increasing trend in some parts of the world to focus on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). CSR is a term frequently used to encompass a whole range of corporate activities but which fundamentally encompasses corporate self-regulation: how large corporates ensure that their businesses respect the law and certain ethical and moral standards and in many cases give something back to the community.

Fitch Ratings expects Colombian corporates cash flows to continue seeing pressure from rising taxes as the Colombian government seeks to offset declines in tax revenues from the oil sector.

There have been deepening losses in emerging markets on Wednesday, following poor Chinese manufacturing data showing activity reaching a 6 ½ year low. This follows warnings yesterday from the Bank of England that the International Monetary Fund needs more resources and better tools to help emerging economies deal with the spill-over from slowing growth and future interest rate rises in advanced economies.

Source is already capitalising on this market growth as it reveals today that it has attracted US$3.4 billion of assets so far this year, equivalent to 20% of the firm’s assets under management at the beginning of the year. Just over half of this (US$1.8bn) has been into fixed income ETFs, with US$1.3 billion into equity ETFs and US$0.3 billion into commodity products.

The current weakness in Latin American currencies versus the U.S. dollar is placing pressure on infrastructure projects in Latin America that have direct or indirect foreign exchange exposure according to Fitch Ratings.

An early glimpse at the income tax picture for 2016 is now available from Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting US.

A total of 109,561 U.S. properties with foreclosure filings -- default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions -- in August, down 12% from the previous month and down 6% from a year ago.

Landlords are becoming increasingly worried about the changes to tax on profits generated by buy to let properties.