Appetite for hard-to-access capital is driving City investors to private equity November 11, 2020 With governments introducing unparalleled fiscal stimulus to support the economic recovery from ongoing pandemic, and monetary policy signalling a much lower-for-longer interest rate environment than anticipated, investors are increasingly turning to private equity as they look for yield. The investment space has been an uptick in interest from City investors as businesses are thirsty for [...]
Mobile trading – The power is in your pocket November 9, 2020 | City Talk In the 21st century, there is no longer a single factor that defines all traders across the markets. Your ‘typical trader’ is a thing of the past. In the FX industry a couple of decades ago, being a ‘trader’ mostly meant that you were dressed in a suit, sat coordinating trades on the phone all [...]
Gearing up against greenwashers: investors seek clarity on sustainability terminology November 9, 2020 | City Talk A dearth of clear, agreed sustainability definitions present a challenge to investors looking to invest sustainably. This is according to the results of the Schroders Institutional Investor Study, which surveyed 650 institutional investors across 26 countries during April 2020. Gearing up against greenwashers Greenwashing is about falsely communicating the environmental benefits of a product or [...]
Forget the drama of Succession and The Godfather — family businesses can be a great investment November 4, 2020 Companies with big family stakes are notorious for rows over ownership, control and succession — not to mention nepotism. Accordingly, existing Environmental, Societal and Governance (ESG) ratings mark them down on governance, discouraging anyone looking to invest for responsible growth. But if you dig a little deeper, there are good reasons to invest in them. [...]
Five trends to watch in China’s consumer sector November 3, 2020 | City Talk As the world continues to try to contain the spread of Covid-19, China is among the few countries sustaining a return to normal activity. Restrictions on movement have been lifted and the government’s test and trace system has so far proven effective in containing new outbreaks. As a result, shops, restaurants and other services have [...]
Close Brothers launches two new sustainable funds as demand grows November 3, 2020 Close Brothers Asset Management has launched two new sustainable funds amid growing demand from investors and clients. The asset manager has today launched the Close Sustainable Balanced Portfolio Fund and the Close Sustainable Bond Portfolio Fund, which will be actively managed. Close Brothers said the funds will look to generate “consistent long-term returns by screening [...]
AJ Bell launches first sustainable fund of ETFs November 2, 2020 Investment platform AJ Bell has launched its first sustainable fund investing in “responsibly screened” ETFs . The AJ Bell Responsible Growth Fund will invest in ETFs which remove stocks from controversial companies such as tobacco or alcohol. Any firm that breaches the UN Global Compact, which implements sustainable principles, will also be excluded. “Once these [...]
How to trade your way through the 2020 US presidential election November 2, 2020 The US election is tomorrow, and while the world waits to see whether Donald Trump or Joe Biden will emerge victorious, traders are planning how to respond as these events unfold. There are no easy decisions, especially when the final outcome and the impact on the markets are this uncertain. However, if you are hoping [...]
Private equity is not the enemy — it’s what powers businesses to be a force for good November 2, 2020 It should come as no surprise that 280 characters are not enough to form a well thought-out and nuanced argument. And yet, this doesn’t seem to deter the swathes of Twitterati sensationalists from jumping on the bandwagon of “outrage culture”, calling for boycotts of companies that appear to make the slightest error — such as [...]
Negative rates explained: should UK investors prepare? October 30, 2020 | City Talk The UK’s banks received a letter from the Bank of England (BoE) this week which has brought negative interest rates back into the headlines. The letter, published here, asked banks how ready they would be if the Bank of England base rate – which currently sits at 0.10% – moved into negative territory. The letter, signed [...]