Monday morning briefing – March 4, 2019
An in-depth look at how Amazon is entering the financial services industry. Eleven fintech firms to keep an eye on. How to attract high-net-worth investors. The four key pillars to help protect your company against cyberattacks. And much more in this week’s briefing.
Economic/industry news
International Economic Data Snapshot – includes aggregated data of the worldwide economy: Snapshot: International economic data
U.S. GDP grew 2.6%, annualized, in the fourth quarter: Fourth-quarter GDP increases 2.6%, better than expected
Canadian GDP growth slowed to 0.4%, annualized, in the fourth quarter: Canadian economic growth slowed in the fourth quarter
Canada’s inflation rate fell to 1.4% in January: Canada’s inflation rate falls to 15-month lows on lower gas prices
Global ESG ETFs experienced $730 million of inflows during January: Global inflows into ESG ETFs steady in January
The Financial Conduct Authority found fee disclosures lacking: U.K. Regulator zeroes in on asset managers’ fee disclosures
Bondholders could benefit as companies fear a downgrade: No BBB bust as $140 billion bet on fallen angels is ‘overpriced’
What retirement will look like in the future: 5 trends that could reshape retirement
The challenges of an index becoming more concentrated: S&P 500? More like the S&P 50
A look at four major real estate markets: What’s driving demand in global real estate
News and notes (U.S.)
The Eurekahedge Hedge Fund Index rose 2.35% in January: Hedge funds record best January since 2006
Hedge funds more concentrated in managers’ best ideas: Never before has the fate of hedge funds turned on so few stocks
Hedge fund assets rose despite redemptions: Hedge fund assets up in January as performance offsets investor redemptions
It could be another strong year for PE fundraising: Here’s why 2019 could be another fundraising boom year for US PE
Cost-cutting alone cannot help companies grow: The lesson of The Kraft Heinz nosedive: Radical cost-cutting is out, brands are back
A comprehensive look at women in VC: The VC female founders dashboard
Fidelity has expanded its multi-factor ETF lineup: Fidelity debuts three multifactor ETFs
Another vote on Brexit could be helpful: Carlyle’s David Rubenstein wants second Brexit vote as UK PE deals dwindle
Mutual fund assets rose 5.3% in January: Mutual funds add $947 billion in assets in January
News and notes (Canada)
Mackenzie launched three more liquid alt funds: Mackenzie introduces liquid alt funds
Franklin Templeton launched three ETF portfolios: Franklin Templeton enters ETF portfolio fray
The BoC proposed reforms to the Canadian Dollar Overnight Repo Rate Average: Bank of Canada unveils benchmark reform proposals
The OSC declined a Bitcoin fund application from 3iQ: Regulators refuse proposed Bitcoin fund amid investor protection concerns
Canadian mutual fund assets grew in January, despite net redemptions: Mutual funds saw $53 million in net redemptions for January
Tips to successfully invest in your RRSP: 6 rules for successful RRSP investing
On the pulse – New frontiers in fintech
Automating testing can have a big impact on the success of a digital transformation: Driving a successful digital transformation strategy
Canadian’s usage of alternative payment tools has increased 14% since 2016: Canadians are increasingly choosing alternative payment tools
The growth of payment alternatives will bring new and complex regulatory requirements: Harnessing regtech to build payments reputation
An in-depth look at how Amazon is entering the financial services industry: Everything you need to know about what Amazon is doing in financial services
Financial services companies are expanding their use of AI: The world’s biggest banks are doubling down on artificial intelligence
Cybersecurity spending expected to grow: Cybersecurity spending to reach $223.7 billion by 2024, says Rethink
The four key pillars to help protect your company against cyberattacks: Four steps in cyber risk management
UOB integrating AI to speed up loan process: UOB applies AI to transactional data to speed up loan approvals for SMEs
11 fintech firms to keep an eye on: Fintech focus – 11 to watch now
Retail shopping through virtual reality and blockchain: The convergence of blockchain and online VR retailing
High-net-worth topics
The high-net-worth demand personalization: Themes from the 2019 U.S. Millionaire Report: Personalization
How to attract high-net-worth investors: You don’t need a Super Bowl ad to attract high-net-worth clients
Polls & surveys – What financials are saying
Global corporate debt reached $13 trillion at the end of 2018 (OECD): Why corporate debt is a risk to the global economy
The majority of economists expect a recession in the U.S. by the end of 2021 (National Association for Business Economics): 75% of business economists expect a US recession by 2021: survey
Women don’t believe they will be able to afford their desired lifestyle in retirement (RBC): A third of Canadian women not confident about maintaining lifestyle in retirement: survey