What Blackrock’s climate change strategy overhaul actually means January 14, 2020 Blackrock, the world’s largest asset manager, today announced that it will make environmental sustainability the core goal of its investment strategy. The investment titan, which manages $7 trillion (£5.4 trillion), has pledged to overhaul its investment practices and introduce new investment products as part of what founder and chief executive Larry Fink called “a fundamental [...]
Polar Capital assets edge up despite challenging quarter January 9, 2020 Polar Capital has reported an increase in assets under management (AUM) during the first nine months of its financial year, despite having a “challenging” third quarter. The investment manager’s AUM climbed 2.8 per cent between 1 April and 31 December to hit £14.2bn. Read more: Profit dips as Polar Capital suffers £448m outflows Polar suffered [...]
Vanguard prepares to enter investment advice industry in UK January 9, 2020 Britain’s financial watchdog has given US fund management giant Vanguard the go-ahead to begin providing investment advice. In a move that will ramp up competition in the UK’s crowded wealth management sector, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has granted Vanguard regulatory permission to begin providing retail investment advice. Read more: Vanguard slashes fees in escalation [...]
Nearly a third of investment managers not considering ESG factors January 8, 2020 Nearly a third of investment managers are not committed to systematically considering environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors as part of their investment process across all asset classes. According to pensions advisory firm LCP’s annual Responsible Investment survey, 30 per cent of managers are still failing in terms of such considerations. Read more: Five sustainable [...]
The changing face of income January 8, 2020 | Sponsored Henderson High Income Trust celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2019, having launched in 1989. This was the same year that Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web. Given Henderson High Income provides shareholder with a high dividend income by predominately investing in UK companies, this article looks at how the internet has led the UK market [...]
Gold and oil prices climb as Iran crisis deepens after attacks January 8, 2020 Gold and oil prices have risen after Iranian missile attacks on Iraqi military bases housing US and UK personnel caused already heightened tensions in the Middle East to flare. The precious metal surged more than two per cent to hit a seven-year high overnight, breaking through the $1,600 barrier for the first time since 2013 [...]
2019 was worst year on record for UK property funds January 7, 2020 UK property funds endured the largest and most sustained withdrawals on record in 2019, with total outflows of £2.2bn, as the industry was dented by weakening sentiment over Brexit and the fallout from the M&G real estate fund suspension. The figures, which are equivalent to £1 in every £15 under management in property funds being [...]
Neil Woodford and partner bagged £13.8m in year before empire collapsed January 7, 2020 Neil Woodford and his partner Craig Newman were paid almost £14m in dividends in the year leading up to the fund crisis that ultimately brought down their company. For the year ending 31 March 2019, Woodford Investment Management’s profit more than halved, falling from £33.7m to £16.3m, according to accounts submitted to Companies House. Read [...]
What do the financial markets hold in store for 2020? January 7, 2020 After the festive break, everyone in the City is slowly settling back into work. The opening week of 2020 has been hectic already, with oil and gold prices rising and stocks falling in reaction to tension in the Middle East. But what else are the financial experts and asset managers keeping an eye on for [...]
Why more and more fund managers are turning to shareholder activism January 6, 2020 According to Greta Thunberg, “the danger is when politicians and CEOs are making it look like real action is happening, when in fact almost nothing is being done.” She may find some unlikely bedfellows in the Square Mile. Active fund managers have endured a torrid time of late. The Woodford saga and M&G’s decision to [...]