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
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
‘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
How have allocations changed among the biggest asset owners?
Around the world, asset owners are finding alternatives increasingly attractive, with one exception: North America, where fixed income is increasingly the flavour of the month
What can Australia and the Netherlands teach us about pension consolidation?
As the UK government pushes for pension scheme consolidation, dreaming of economies of scale and a dearth of domestic private investment, we look at the Netherlands and Australia for clues as to what that might look like
New York City’s tussle with BlackRock over ESG turns ugly
Outgoing New York City comptroller Brad Lander has told the city’s pension systems to fire BlackRock over its climate track record. This has not gone down well with the world’s largest asset manager
Infrastructure proves attractive for European investors as inflows hit $8.8bn in Q3
The growing need for green infrastructure in the UK and across Europe is driving large-scale investors like Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global and the Australian-owned IFM Investors into projects - with family offices also joining the party
Who, if anyone, is still buying hedge funds?
Appetite for hedge funds has been strongest among European asset owners, so far in 2025, while those in other regions seem less keen
Brazil’s wealth managers turn defensive as family offices abroad double down on risk
Brazil’s family offices are moving in the opposite direction of their North American peers. While US investors pile into private credit and AI-driven growth, Brazilian wealth managers are building buffers, expanding exposure to fixed income, tax-exempt bonds, and government bonds
Are private Reits 'hotel California' for US asset owners?
Many US asset owners are crowding into sectors which have seen strong demand: medical offices, self-storage and care homes and are wary of traditional office space
Did COP30 move the dial for climate finance investment by asset owners?
According to Antonina Scheer of the Transition Pathway Initiative, one of the big wins of the COP30 summit was the lack of backsliding on climate finance after the US pulled out of the Paris Agreement