Axa Investment Managers
The firm has unveiled the AXA WF Framlington FinTech fund which gives investors access to the global fintech industry.
The fund aims to invest globally in a portfolio of 40-60 companies across three key themes which offer opportunities across the entire fintech value chain:
• Cashless society – People around the world are increasingly making payments digitally, taking us towards a cashless society.
• Innovative leaders – Many established financial companies are disrupting the financial services industry, by using technology to serve their large, existing client base.
• Technology enablers – “Enablers” provide the technology to support and develop fintech companies’ digital presence via various channels and devices e.g. cyber security and regulatory technology
Lazard Asset Management
The company has rolled out the Lazard Scandinavian High Quality Bond Fund, which seeks attractive medium- to long-term investment returns while maintaining a high credit rating profile and high levels of liquidity.
The portfolio will mainly consist of Scandinavian bonds and global bonds denominated in Scandinavian currencies.
The strategy combines bottom-up fundamental analysis and security selection with a top-down asset allocation.
It will be managed by Michael Weidner and Daniel Herdt, members of the Lazard European Fixed Income Team.
Principal Global Investors
The US-based asset manager has expanded its fund business in Austria with the launch of five funds.
The products are:
• Origin Global Smaller Companies Fund: This strategy invests globally in shares of small and medium-sized companies with a market capitalisation of between $250m (£195m, €222m) and $5bn billion. It aims to focus on the global equity market.
• Origin Global Emerging Markets Fund: This fund provides investors with access to global emerging market equities. The investment universe includes companies with a market capitalization of at least $1bn. The focus is on technology stocks, commodity stocks and companies in the financial services sector.
• Global Property Securities Fund: The fund invests worldwide in shares of REITs and other real estate companies. The strategy aims to exploit price inefficiencies in real estate markets.
• High Yield Fund: This fund offers investors access to high-yield bonds issued in US dollars based in the US and other regions across the world.
• Post Global Limited Term High Yield Fund: The fund aims to outperform US government bonds with maturities of 18 months. It invests in a portfolio of global short-term high-yield bonds with an expected average maturity between 12 and 24 months.
