Influencers that advise on financial products have drawn the attention of the European Commissioner for financial services, Mairead McGuinness. | Foto: Aurore Martignoni / European Union

EU to crack down on "finfluencers"

Financial companies must be held responsible if hired influencers do not disclose the risk tied to investments, and violations should lead to fines or license suspension, says the EU Commission.

EU to combat "biased and unfair" investment counseling

For subscribers

Hanna Kaskela, director of responsible investment at Varma. | Foto: PR Varma.

AMNews

Finnish pension giant revamps the role of responsible investment

From June on, Varma’s director of responsible investment will also take over leadership of the company’s communications.

For subscribers

Håvard Gulbrandsen is the CEO of KLP Kapitalforvaltning, the asset manager of Norway's largest pension company Kommunal Landspensjonskasse (KLP). | Foto: PR / KLP

AMWatch

KLP: Nordic investor's share of active funds is irrational

Nordic investors have way too much money allocated to actively managed funds that are too expensive and inefficient, the CEO at KLP Kapitalforvaltning says in an interview with AMWatch.

For subscribers

AMNews

AMWatch closed on Monday, May 29

There will be no AMWatch newsletter on Monday, May 29. The media is closed due to a public holiday.

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Finnish pension giant revamps the role of responsible investment

From June on, Varma’s director of responsible investment will also take over leadership of the company’s communications.

For subscribers

"The purpose of this law package is to improve results for retail investors," Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, Valdis Dombrovskis says. | Foto: Tt News Agency/Reuters/Ritzau Scanpix

Fund Management

EU to combat "biased and unfair" investment counseling

In a long-awaited proposal, the European Commission ramps up demands for the financial sector related to private investments. Interest group fears ”huge, unintended consequences.”

For subscribers

At least 40,000 years old paintings that depict animals discovered in caves on the island of Sulawesi are rewriting the history of art. | Foto: Handout/Reuters/Ritzau Scanpix

AMNews

Oil fund puts Indonesian company on observation list, fearing damage to cultural heritage

Some of the oldest rock art in the world can be found in the areas where an Indonesian company operates. This includes cave art which is at least 43,900 years old.

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Richard House, head of emerging market debt at Allianz Global Investors, thinks that we will see the same level of return in emerging markets’ sovereign debt as typically seen in equities. | Foto: Magnus Eidem

Responsible Investing

Allianz pursues using ESG to find excess return in emerging market debt

Allianz’ head of emerging market debt believes that 2023 will be the year that government bonds from emerging markets will yield just as positive returns as equities.

For subscribers

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Sweden’s property crunch worsens after SBB gets junk rating

S&P Global Ratings lowers its credit rating for Swedish Samhallsbyggnadsbolaget i Norden AB (SBB) while signalling another downgrade could come.

For subscribers

Pension

AkademikerPension invests in French climate fund

The Danish pension fund is investing a three-digit million-kroner sum in the early phase of climate projects.

For subscribers

Buildings under construction in Stockholm, Sweden. | Foto: Simon Johnson/Reuters/Ritzau Scanpix

AMWatch

Swedish housing starts slump 55% in latest sign of crisis

Sweden’s residential property market saw construction levels falling by more than half in the first quarter as one of the world’s worst real estate routs continues to gather steam.

For subscribers

The Kraft Heinz Group has agreed to pay USD 450m in a settlement with a group of plaintiffs.

AMNews

Food giant agrees to USD 450m settlement with AP7-led plaintiffs

Kraft Heinz has agreed to settle a lawsuit by a group of investors led by the Swedish pension fund. The plaintiffs accused the company of making misleading statements in connection with a merger.

For subscribers

Flemming Højbo writes analyses for AMWatch about the Nordic asset and wealth management sector. Højbo was head of communications in the asset management industry for 15 years, and before that, he worked for 25 years as financial and business reporter and editor. | Foto: Jan Bjarke Mindegaard

Fund Management

Analysis: How urgent are cost cuts in the AM industry?

The asset management industry is facing a significant growth in costs when several managers struggle to get sales and income back on track. Is it constant care and prudent business to act now?

For subscribers

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KLP: Nordic investor's share of active funds is irrational

Nordic investors have way too much money allocated to actively managed funds that are too expensive and inefficient, the CEO at KLP Kapitalforvaltning says in an interview with AMWatch.

For subscribers

Fund Management

AI intrigues ETF managers as both investment and tool

Artificial intelligence is inculcating throughout the almost USD 7trn US exchange-traded fund industry, both as technology for managing funds and as a new frontier for investment.

For subscribers

Sara Midtgaard is a senior economist at investment bank Handelsbanken. | Foto: Bård Gudim / Handelsbanken

Fund Management

Handelsbanken maintains outlook on marked price drops in Norway's commercial real estate market

The price tag on the most lucrative of office spaces in Oslo is forecasted to decrease by 25%, Handelsbanken Capital Markets foresees, prompting upwards adjustment of the required rate of returns.

For subscribers

Claus Mathisen, CEO at Urban Partners. | Foto: Pr / Nrep

Fund Management

Urban Partners raises record EUR 3.6bn to buy Nordic property

Turmoil in Nordic real estate markets has started attracting interest from investors looking to take advantage of landlords shedding assets to weather a looming liquidity crunch.

For subscribers

CIP makes first investment in Nordic onshore wind farms

CIP enters partnership with Finnish Myrsky Energia in a deal that concerns the development of onshore wind farms for a total of EUR 2.3bn.

Mining is one of the sectors that have paid out big dividends and has still seen investors shy away. | Foto: Hendrik Schmidt/AP/Ritzau Scanpix

Fund Management

Record dividends no match for recession woes gripping market

Even record dividends aren’t tempting investors enough to bet on stocks they see as more vulnerable in a recession.

For subscribers

The headquarter of KLP is situated in Oslo | Foto: PR / KLP

AMWatch

KLP books all-time high AUM boosted by external customers

In Q1, assets managed on behalf of external clients increased by double digits at the third-largest Norwegian asset manager, KLP Kapitalforvaltning.

For subscribers

Every year in April, cherry trees blooming attract thousands of visitors to Bispebjerg Cemetary on the outskirts of Copenhagen. | Foto: Jens Dresling/Ritzau Scanpix

AMWatch

April saw strong inflows to the two smallest Nordic fund markets

April is the best month so far this year for the Finnish fund market, driven by net flows from especially three fund managers.

Shell will commence its annual general meeting today, Tuesday. | Foto: May James/Reuters/Ritzau Scanpix

Responsible Investing

PFA met with criticism for increasing investment in oil company

At the annual general meeting on Tuesday, PFA will vote against Shell’s own climate plan and at the same time refrain from supporting a stricter proposal from a number of investors.

For subscribers

Mia Nyberg has been appointed CEO of the Swedish fund manager Storebrand Fonder. | Foto: Storebrand Fonder / Pr

AMNews

Storebrand Fonder finds new CEO within own ranks

The Swedish fund manager Storebrand Fonder has found a replacement for its current CEO Åsa Wallenberg, who was recently poached by another major Swedish fund manager.

For subscribers

Pension

Danish pension fund invests DKK 400m in new real estate fund

A Swedish private equity fund gets Danish pension and life insurance fund Lærernes Pension on board as anchor investor.

For subscribers

A view of Stockholm, Sweden. | Foto: Ken Ross/AP/Ritzau Scanpix

Fund Management

The face of Sweden’s property bust fights for USD 13bn empire

A Yugoslav refugee turned Swedish property tycoon is fast running out of options to stabilize his USD 13bn empire, and the outcome will have ripple effects across Europe’s real estate industry.

For subscribers

Maunu Lehtimäki, CEO of Evli Plc. | Foto: PR Evli.

AMNews

Defense investments are hardly a black and white issue, says Evli CEO

Discussions of military investment exclusions after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine have soared for a good reason, asserts the CEO of Finnish Evli, Maunu Lehtimäki.

For subscribers