Why Brazil’s wealthiest families shun investment abroad
A potentially contentious election is looming in Brazil but the country’s wealthiest families are largely keeping their money invested domestically, according to the head of wealth management at BTG Pactual, Latin America’s largest investment bank
Azerbaijan’s state oil fund has a 38% exposure to gold. Could that pose a problem?
The $73bn State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan, or Sofaz, has increased its exposure to gold from 12 per cent in 2023 to 38 per cent now. That has been a boon with the price of gold rocketing, but could that pose a problem?
Caribbean island to set up sovereign wealth fund with proceeds of AI boom
The Caribbean island of Anguilla has made millions by selling its .ai domain to artificial intelligence companies. Now it is putting that money to good use.
UK DC investors seeking bespoke private markets LTAFs
Defined contribution schemes in the UK are becoming more confident in seeking returns away from public markets, according to LCP
Norwegian pension fund begins real-estate shake-up
By the Norwegian Government Pension Fund’s own admission, its peers have adapted to changes in the real estate investment market much better than it has. So now it is shaking things up
European stocks poised for growth but US rhetoric over Greenland dents optimism
European equities have been unsettled by escalating tensions between the US and several European countries over Greenland but there are other issues which dent optimism, including the lack of innovative tech businesses
Why asset owner investment in commodities may be ‘self-defeating’
We seem to be living through a boom time for commodities, with the price of gold breaking the $5,000 barrier for the first time. But as commodity markets become dominated by institutional investors, this may have unintended consequences
How is the ‘jumbo’ level of pension buyouts affecting how insurers invest?
PwC expects 2026 to be a “jumbo” year for pension buyouts in the UK asset owner space, with more than £50bn of transaction volumes forecast. But how is that changing the way insurers, on the other side of the transaction, invest?
Wealthy families increasingly relying on external managers for ‘fast-growing asset classes’
According to new research from Standard Chartered Private Bank, which surveyed more than 300 ultra-wealthy families globally, nearly seven in 10 (69 per cent) are using an "institutional" approach to investment decisions rather than taking a "personal" approach to family affairs
How many mandates has BlackRock lost due to ESG?
BlackRock lost several high profile mandates during 2025 because of its supposed lack of commitment towards ESG. So we look at the numbers and see how much of a problem it is proving for the world’s largest asset manager.
Canada wants its pension funds to invest domestically. Will that undermine the ‘Maple 8’?
Canadian prime minister Mark Carney won last year’s election in part due to economic nationalism in response to US tariffs. But is this the right approach to the country’s widely-respected pension funds?
Scottish pension fund takes Federated Hermes to court over ‘existential gamble’ on wind farms
Aberdeen City Council is taking Federated Hermes to court over an investment in Swedish wind farms which, it alleges, lost $117mn or 83 per cent of the total investment
Danish pension fund sells off US Treasury holdings
The $25bn AkademikerPension fund is selling off its US Treasury holdings, a decision it insists is rooted in the American government’s “poor” finances rather than geopolitics
Debate over US tech concentration fuels demand for multi-factor equity strategies
European asset owners are grappling with the “concentration risk” in portfolios towards US technology and AI businesses in the S&P 500
Why are US asset owners investing in sports?
The NFL recently opened-up minority stake ownership in its teams to institional investors, which has prompted some asset owners to dip their toes into the sport. What’s the thinking behind asset owners getting involved in sport?
‘Forced’ pooling of pensions goes down badly in England and Wales
UK local government pension schemes are being ‘essentially forced’ to pool their management ahead of the April 1 deadline - but not everyone is happy about it
Wellcome Trust CIO on avoiding concentration and the risks of the growing private equity market
Fabian Thehos, the co-chief investment officer of the Wellcome Trust, has warned about the growing level of concentration in the US market - particularly around tech - and he explains to AOX what the trust is doing about it
How European regulations are transforming family offices
Evolving governance requirements around private transactions, such as the EU’s 2024 package of anti-money laundering regulations, are steering families towards more institutional investment practices
European asset owners look to Korea and Taiwan amid wider EM diversification push
China, Taiwan and South Korea have driven the MSCI Emerging Markets index to deliver double-digit returns and outpace the MSCI World index which has prompted European asset owners to look at these opportunities
Are defence stocks an ESG asset now?
A combination of Donald Trump’s pestering and nervousness about America’s reliability as an ally - including concern Greenland might follow the fate of Venezuela - has prompted European nations to increase the amount they spend on defence. Does that mean asset owners view defence as an attractive investment opportunity? And could it even be defined as an ESG asset?