Prepared and Empathetic Advisors Gain More Value Than Ever

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In recent years, the offshore wealth management market toward the United States has experienced notable growth, driven by both structural factors and short-term developments.

Traditionally linked to the wealth protection of Latin American families, this segment has evolved into more sophisticated and diversified models that are better aligned with the needs of today’s investors.

The transformation of this market is no longer merely about protecting wealth; it is about managing it with a global vision, technological tools, generational empathy, and clear ethical principles.

New generations are redefining the relationship with wealth. Women—both as clients and as advisors—are playing an increasingly central role. And artificial intelligence is optimizing operational efficiency without sacrificing personalization. In the face of global volatility, well-prepared and empathetic advisors are more valuable than ever.

Sustained Growth with Strong Foundations

Several Latin American countries have increased their assets under management on offshore platforms located in the United States, driven by the pursuit of financial stability, access to global markets, and legal protection through structures such as trusts, Limited Liability Companies (LLCs), and corporations. While uncertainty in some countries has accelerated this migration of wealth, more structural factors also play a role: the strengthening of platforms with advanced technological capabilities, regulatory openness with greater transparency (FATCA, CRS), and the need for more efficient estate planning structures.

Changes in Country Participation

Mexico remains one of the main sources of capital flowing to offshore platforms, with a strong interest in fiduciary structures and insurance-based wealth planning solutions.

In Brazil, the recent tax reform has encouraged formalization of wealth and capital flows toward jurisdictions with clear rules.

Argentina, with its currency controls, maintains its traditional focus on the United States as a destination for assets.

Colombia and Chile, though smaller in volume, show steady growth driven by emerging upper-middle classes interested in international diversification. Meanwhile, in Peru, there is increasing interest among business owners and professionals with mid-sized estates seeking stability and estate planning.

Key Trends

Growth has been both quantitative and qualitative. Platforms offering robust custody, digital tools, and international regulatory compliance are consolidating, and several firms have capitalized on this.

At the same time, the market is shifting toward hybrid models that combine traditional advisory services with discretionary management and more segmented service offerings based on clients’ wealth profiles. Sophisticated clients are seeking access to alternative investment vehicles, tax solutions, and comprehensive risk management.

New Generations and the Impact of Diversity

One of the most profound changes in the sector is the emergence of new generations. Millennial and Gen Z clients value immediacy, transparency, and alignment with their values.

They prefer digital experiences, sustainable investments (ESG), and clear communication. This generation is not only poised to inherit a significant portion of global wealth but is already making independent financial decisions.

At the same time, women are increasingly playing a decision-making role in financial matters. This not only expands the client base but also changes how advisory services are delivered: women often prefer consultative, long-term, and holistic relationships. Additionally, the offshore market is witnessing a steady rise in the number of female financial advisors, who bring new perspectives, more empathetic communication styles, and greater diversity to wealth management teams.

This trend reflects both a generational shift and institutional recognition of the value gender diversity brings to client relationships. Firms once dominated by men are now promoting female leadership, fostering more inclusive environments, and strengthening connections with an increasingly diverse clientele.

The inclusion of more female advisors has also improved representation, strengthened client relationships, and enriched decision-making by incorporating different approaches from the traditional norm.

Artificial Intelligence and the Transformation of the Advisory Model

Technology—and especially artificial intelligence (AI)—is redefining the financial advisory model. From using algorithms to design personalized portfolios to automating compliance, onboarding, and risk monitoring processes.

Advisors can now focus more on human relationships and strategy, leaving operational and analytical tasks to intelligent tools. In an increasingly competitive environment, this combination of efficiency and closeness makes the difference.

One of the recent challenges in the market has been the uncertainty caused by new tariff announcements and trade tensions, particularly between the United States and China, but also with Latin American and European countries.

In this context, many firms adopted protective strategies: rebalancing portfolios toward defensive assets, geographic diversification, use of derivatives, and ongoing communication with clients to avoid emotional decisions.

Proactive and personalized advice was key to navigating this period of volatility, reinforcing the advisor’s role as a guide beyond purely financial matters and above technological tools.

In Summary

The offshore wealth management market toward the United States is undergoing a deep transformation. Firms that integrate the key strategic elements mentioned—technology, diversity, multigenerational planning, and risk management—will be better positioned to lead the next cycle of growth in the offshore market.

FATCA (Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act) is U.S. legislation aimed at combating tax evasion. CRS (Common Reporting Standard) is the global, non-U.S. equivalent of FATCA.

State Street and Albilad Capital Sign Strategic Agreement

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State Street Corporation has announced the signing of a strategic cooperation agreement with Albilad Capital, one of Saudi Arabia’s leading financial institutions specializing in securities services and asset management. According to the statement, under this agreement, State Street will support Albilad Capital’s securities services offering in the country.

The firm stated that this partnership highlights State Street’s long-term strategic investment in Saudi Arabia and its strategy to provide global product capabilities to local clients. In this regard, they added that the collaboration, aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, aims to strengthen the Kingdom’s financial and capital markets by combining State Street’s industry-leading solutions with Albilad Capital’s local market expertise.

“We are delighted to collaborate with Albilad Capital to support their clients and growth and contribute to the development of the Kingdom’s capital markets. This strategic alliance underscores State Street’s commitment to expanding our presence in the Kingdom and delivering world-class, innovative securities services to local and international clients in one of the fastest-growing markets in the world. By combining State Street’s global capabilities with Albilad Capital’s market knowledge, we can meet the growing demand for sophisticated investment solutions and help support the Kingdom’s ambition to become a leading financial center,” said Ron O’Hanley, Chairman and CEO of State Street.

Zaid AlMufarih, CEO of Albilad Capital, stated: “This collaboration reflects Albilad Capital’s commitment to advancing the evolution of the securities services sector in the Kingdom and enhancing market competitiveness by adopting global best practices. We are proud of this agreement, which combines State Street’s global expertise and advanced technological infrastructure with Albilad Capital’s leadership in the local market. This allows us to offer innovative and efficient investment solutions that support market development and meet our clients’ needs. Albilad Capital and State Street share a common vision focused on innovation, operational excellence, and the integration of international best practices to deliver highly efficient and effective local services. We are confident this collaboration will contribute to the transfer and localization of global knowledge, thereby supporting the development of the Kingdom’s financial market infrastructure.”

Commitment to Saudi Arabia

State Street has been serving clients in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for over 25 years and established local operations in 2020. Currently, the firm manages $127 billion in assets under custody and/or administration and $60 billion in assets under management for clients in the Kingdom.

“This initial cooperation agreement is the first step toward a long-term strategic relationship. Our goal is to deepen the collaboration and introduce additional investment services and capabilities for Saudi clients, improving the efficiency of capital markets and leveraging both firms’ capabilities in ETFs to facilitate direct foreign investment in the Kingdom,” added Oliver Berger, Head of Strategic Growth Markets at State Street.

Albilad Capital, the investment arm of Bank Albilad, was established in 2008 and offers a wide range of services, including brokerage, asset management, investment banking, custody, and advisory services to institutional investors, with a focus on Sharia-compliant products. The firm currently manages over $50 billion in assets under custody and/or administration.

The agreement was signed in Riyadh on October 29, 2025, in the presence of the Chairmen and CEOs of both companies, as well as other senior dignitaries.

The Investment Fund Boom in Mexico Will Be Long-Lasting, According to Santander Asset Manager

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Mexico is experiencing a boom in its investment fund industry. Savings have accelerated in recent years, and this phenomenon will continue for a long time, explained Alejandro Martínez, CEO of Santander Asset Manager México (SAM Asset Manager México), during a presentation to the media on the sector’s evolution and outlook in the country.

“We have very good news in terms of how savings in Mexico’s investment fund industry have been accelerating. We believe this is not only a great development in terms of current trends, but we are also very confident that it represents a major opportunity moving forward,” the executive stated.

The growth of the investment fund industry in the Latin American country has been so rapid in recent years that, according to SAM Asset Manager México, it already represents 13.5% of the country’s GDP. Viewed over the long term—specifically the last 24 years—the industry’s penetration has tripled, since at the beginning of the analysis period it represented 4.3% of Mexico’s GDP.

“This is due, in our view, to a fundamental change in how individuals in Mexico have chosen to participate in local markets, specifically through investment funds. In recent years, we’ve also seen a very strong growth trend in the industry, with a compound annual growth rate of 12.3% since 2001,” he added.

SAM Asset Manager also outlined the factors it believes will sustain the country’s investment fund boom in the coming years. “We see structural factors in Mexico that make us confident this trend will continue for a long time,” said Martínez.

He identified the following:

  • Demographic dividend: Mexico’s favorable population pyramid is highly attractive. The base of that pyramid will undoubtedly be the engine driving the creation of new savers and investors in the future.

  • Resilient economy: Economic dynamism and a highly resilient economy in recent years.

  • Financial inclusion: This is particularly relevant, according to the CEO. While there is still work to be done, financial inclusion in the country has improved significantly. There are more market participants, more people saving, and then transforming their savings into investments.

“All of this gives us confidence and justifies a strong bet on the long-term potential of the investment fund industry,” said Alejandro Martínez.

Another key data point is the number of clients, which has surged in recent years—with a striking 13 million new clients since 2008. The combination of market capacity and inclusion leaves no doubt that this trend will persist.

SAM Asset Manager Aims for a Larger Share

The firm recently celebrated surpassing €250 billion (around $290 billion) in assets under management globally. In this context, Mexico—where the firm has operated for 30 years—is a growing and strategic market, already representing 10% of total assets under management. The firm currently ranks third in the country, with 560 billion pesos in assets under management (approximately $29.5 billion). Martínez highlighted the support and philosophy of the global firm, Santander Asset Management.

“This is a firm with highly significant global capabilities, but it also has a key differentiator: a local approach. In the 10 countries where we operate, we are committed to understanding the investor. Our global capacity has helped drive growth,” said the CEO.

SAM Asset Manager has 54 years of industry experience, operates in 10 countries, and employs over 800 people, more than 200 of whom are investment professionals.

The Market Determines the Asset Class

SAM Asset Manager México is focused on identifying market opportunities and accelerating growth.

While diversification is essential in Mexico, the country’s fund industry remains heavily concentrated in fixed income. According to the executive, the market ultimately determines the type of assets under management. “In recent years, interest rates largely dictated the preference for fixed income funds, but as rates decline, fund portfolios are likely to shift. Market conditions are what determine the asset classes,” he noted.

“We have exposure to all asset classes: debt, equities, structured products—we are equipped to add value across the board, including for our institutional clients,” he added.

Finally, SAM Asset Manager reaffirms its confidence in Mexico and its belief that the country will be one of the world’s fastest-growing markets in the coming years. “We see opportunities driving the demand for investment solutions. More savers are becoming investors, young people at the base of the population pyramid increasingly need to generate value in their wealth through investments, and we’re also seeing a much more sustainable long-term savings trend. We definitely want to capitalize on those opportunities,” concluded the CEO.

RIAs Shift Their Focus Toward Organic Growth

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The registered investment advisor (RIA) channels have experienced significant growth over the past decade. Driven by advisors seeking independence and by strong market performance, assets have grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11% over the last ten years. Despite this, RIAs face challenges in achieving organic growth and are seeking new avenues for expansion while continuing to invest in proven strategies, according to the report The Cerulli Report—U.S. RIA Marketplace 2025.

Throughout the recent history of RIAs, the primary focus has been on inorganic opportunities. With M&A activity becoming commonplace, overall attention is shifting back to organic growth. This renewed focus is revealing gaps in the marketing and business development strategies of RIAs.

“In an increasingly consolidated market, the need for positive net asset flows cannot be underestimated, given their influence on the future of the RIA channels,” said Stephen Caruso, associate director at the international consulting firm Cerulli.

“The need for dedicated mindsets around marketing, business development, and client service is crucial, as firms seek to restructure and refocus for their next phase of growth and opportunity. Implementing these priorities is the challenge RIAs face today as they look to enter new markets and leverage new technologies to do so,” he added.

Since referrals play a significant role in the business development of RIAs—93% of firms with assets over 1 billion dollars consider them their main organic growth strategy—some companies have been able to avoid more traditional marketing approaches.

On the other hand, some of the largest firms have moved deeply into the marketing space, attempting to leverage multiple strategies to maximize their outcomes.

“The average RIA has limited resources to drive organic growth, and the lack of advisor time is a challenge,” said Caruso.

According to research from the Boston-based consulting firm, 83% of companies cite limited resources and advisor time as a major or moderate challenge. Moreover, advisors devote only 7% of their time to business development, which amounts to roughly three hours per week in a 40-hour workweek. “As many firms aim to scale, developing well-thought-out strategic marketing capabilities will lay a strong foundation for sustainable growth,” the expert added.

For strategic partners, including asset managers, the need for support in this area is already evident and will intensify as founders and partner advisors retire from the business. By developing value-added content around common marketing topics—such as defining ideal clients or branding—asset managers can maintain a leading position as strategic partners to RIA firms.

Retirement Savings Consolidate Their Weight in the Economy: They Now Amount to 22% of GDP

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The AmAfore 2025 meeting will take place on November 12 and 13, and its program confirms the growing prominence of retirement savings in the global conversation on investments, private credit, and infrastructure.

With the participation of international leaders such as Scott Kleinman (Apollo), Michael Rees (Blue Owl), Michael Smith (Ares Credit Group), and Kirk Smith (GTCR), the event highlights Mexico’s role as a bridge between local institutional capital and major global asset managers. The presence of the AFOREs, along with Banxico, Hacienda, and CONSAR, reflects the interest in strengthening the sophistication of pension fund portfolios and incorporating advanced strategies in credit, private equity, and technology.

Retirement savings in Mexico continue to consolidate as one of the country’s main sources of institutional capital, currently representing 22% of GDP. According to figures from CONSAR as of September 2025, the AFOREs currently manage 438.412 billion dollars, of which 34.541 billion are invested in structured instruments—mainly CKDs and CERPIs—which allow them to participate in national and international private equity funds. This exposure represents 7.9% of the average portfolio; the AFORE with the highest participation reaches 11.4%, while the lowest stands at 4.8%.

Between December 2020 and September 2025, assets under management grew by 85% in dollar terms, rising from 237.196 billion to 438.412 billion. Of this increase, 76 percentage points are attributable to growth in pesos—driven by contributions and returns—and 9 points to the appreciation of the peso against the dollar.

The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) during this period is 13.8% in dollars. If this pace is sustained, the assets managed by the AFOREs could exceed 825 billion dollars by 2030—more than triple their size in 2020 and nearly double compared to 2025—consolidating the Mexican pension system as the main source of institutional capital in Latin America and strengthening its capacity to finance infrastructure, private credit, and long-term global funds.

Currently, Afore Profuturo is the largest in the system, managing 83.899 billion dollars, slightly ahead of Afore XXI-Banorte, which closed September with 83.678 billion dollars.

If the capital commitments of the CKDs and CERPIs are taken into account, the AFOREs’ equivalent exposure rises from 7.9% (market value) to 16.9% of the total portfolio. Together, these instruments reach a market value of 36.194 billion dollars and commitments of 73.971 billion, a difference explained by the participation of other institutional investors, such as insurance companies.

As of September 30, there are 244 CERPIs and 137 CKDs in operation. The CERPIs account for a market value of 22.015 billion dollars and commitments of 44.771 billion, while the CKDs register 14.180 billion in market value and 29.201 billion in commitments. Cumulative distributions amount to 17.162 billion dollars for CKDs and 1.234 billion for CERPIs.

So far in 2025, two credit CKDs and ten CERPIs have been issued, which together represent commitments totaling 2.632 billion dollars.

The consolidation of new issuances and the growing interest of global managers in accessing Mexican institutional capital point to a more diversified, competitive ecosystem aligned with international best practices, in which the AFOREs continue to strengthen their role as long-term strategic investors.

Energy Transition Financing Continued to Grow in the Last Quarter

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Climate-themed exchange-traded funds totaled approximately $625 billion as of September 2025, following nearly 12% growth in just the first nine months of the year, according to the latest quarterly report from the MSCI Sustainability Institute.

Quarterly results show that Europe and Asia continue to lead, increasing their share in these assets and gaining around 15 percentage points since the beginning of the year, at the expense of the United States’ dominance.

In the case of private climate capital funds, a substantial portion (40%) is invested in the utilities sector—a high-emission sector—compared to just about 8% in public funds.

These figures reflect that transition financing is growing and diversifying, though still concentrated in certain regions and sectors.

Reducing Emissions Without Losing Economic Growth

Between 2015 and 2023, publicly listed companies in developed markets grew revenues by approximately 49%, while their emissions decreased by nearly 25%. This demonstrates that it is possible to reduce emissions while generating economic growth—at least in some markets—reinforcing the notion that a low-carbon transition can be compatible with development.

Emission-intensive sectors face more difficult trajectories: companies in energy, materials, and consumer discretionary have temperature rise projections well above the average.

China stands out for both its high fossil fuel consumption and its leadership in clean technology innovation (in terms of both quantity and quality of patents).

Power grids and generation systems show significant variation across countries. For example, the U.S. has a relatively higher share of electricity generation from low-carbon sources compared to other major emitters.

Growing Corporate Ambition, But Still Insufficient

By the end of the third quarter of 2025, around 21% of publicly listed companies had set a climate target validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). However, only about 12% of companies are aligned with a pathway compatible with limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

The majority (approximately 61%) are projecting trajectories that exceed a 2°C temperature rise, and nearly one-quarter could surpass 3.2°C. This indicates that, although ambition is increasing, the gap between targets and actual trajectories remains significant.

Physical Climate Risks and Corporate Exposure

Companies could face losses from physical damage and missed opportunities worth approximately $1.3 trillion in the coming year due to climate-related physical risks (such as floods, heatwaves, wildfires, and storms).

Corporate headquarters located in cities such as Miami, New York, São Paulo, Osaka, Riyadh, and Pune are among the most globally exposed to extreme climate risks.

Market mechanisms (such as emissions trading), standardized metrics, and transparency will be key to channeling capital where it is most needed and enabling markets to accurately price risks and opportunities.

ETF Issuers Step Up Development of Active Products

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The rapid growth of active ETFs has opened major opportunities—but also new challenges—for the U.S. industry. According to The Cerulli Report—U.S. Exchange-Traded Fund Markets 2025, 71% of issuers stated that it is difficult to gain shelf space on broker-dealer platforms, and 58% acknowledged the need for better education for financial advisors.

Assets in this type of ETF reached $1.17 trillion in the second quarter of 2025, compared to just $71 billion in 2018. In the first six months of the year, net inflows totaled $197 billion, far exceeding the industry’s expectations.

Growth has been driven by new issuers launching products, mutual fund managers entering the active ETF space, and established issuers expanding their offerings beyond passive strategies.

“Innovation is focused on the transparent active segment,” explained Kevin Lyons, senior analyst at international consulting firm Cerulli. Currently, 87% of issuers are developing this type of product, and 50% plan to convert at least one mutual fund, taking advantage of benefits such as lower costs and greater tax efficiency. The potential introduction of dual-class products is also being explored, pending regulatory approval.

Lyons concluded that future success will depend on issuers’ and managers’ ability to position themselves strategically, strengthen collaboration with wealth management teams, and adapt their distribution structures to the growing demand for active ETFs.

The Dollar One Year After Trump’s Victory: Story of a Depreciation

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This week—specifically on November 5—marked one year since Donald Trump won the 2024 U.S. presidential elections. Since then, market consensus has shifted from betting on a strong dollar—due to Trump’s promise to impose tariffs on imports of foreign goods—to witnessing a depreciation against all G10 currencies.

“Following the sell-off at the beginning of the year, the dollar has stabilized in recent months. However, it is easy to imagine a scenario in which the depreciation continues,” explains George Brown, Global Economics Economist at Schroders.

According to his view, it is undeniable that the strength of the dollar has had wide-ranging repercussions on global growth, inflation, capital flows, and asset prices. However, “this year, the dollar is on track to record its biggest value drop since at least the year 2000. In this context, it makes sense for all investors to assess what such a decline could mean, as we believe there could be clear winners and losers,” states Brown.

“Investors Feared That the Trump Administration’s Policies Would Harm the Overall U.S. Economy. Moreover, a Series of Unorthodox Proposals Caused Concern: in Addition to Tariffs, the Government Considered Taxing Income From Treasury Bonds Held by Foreigners and Requiring Its Allies to Purchase Low-Yield ‘Century’ Bonds in Exchange for Security Guarantees. In Addition, Attacks on the Federal Reserve’s Independence Also Weighed on the Currency,” explains Claudio Wewel, currency strategist at J. Safra Sarasin Sustainable AM, regarding the uncertainty that has affected the U.S. dollar.

Outlook for the Dollar

In the view of the Schroders economist, the fundamentals of the dollar—such as the large twin deficits (budget and current account) and an exchange rate well above its long-term average—could lay the groundwork for a further 20%–30% depreciation. “The market reaction in recent months to U.S. policy announcements suggests that concerns about the Trump Administration have been the catalyst for these weak fundamentals to start materializing,” warns Brown.

For his part, Wewel sees little chance of this depreciation trend reversing and expects the dollar to continue weakening in 2026. “It’s true that investment in artificial intelligence is driving U.S. GDP growth, and investment in information processing technology will remain an important tailwind in 2026. However, support from the monetary front should begin to fade. Following the government shutdown, the Fed will be making decisions based on limited information. Although a rate cut in December is not guaranteed, we anticipate more easing in 2026, as the institution will maintain its ‘risk management’ approach. With Powell’s term ending in May 2026, the independence of the Fed will return to the center of the debate. We believe this will lead the market to anticipate a more accommodative monetary policy than the current one, even if inflation remains high. Furthermore, we do not expect the volatility leading up to the U.S. midterm elections to boost the dollar. In our view, a significant rebound in the currency would require a clear surge in U.S. macroeconomic momentum, something that is not part of our base scenario,” argues Wewel.

Regarding the recovery the dollar experienced on November 4—when it reached its highest level since May—David A. Meier, economist at Julius Baer, believes that the return of U.S. economic data will eventually break the current consolidation phase of the U.S. dollar, paving the way for further weakness.

“The dollar’s consolidation continues, with a new upward push last week that brought the euro/dollar pair to the 1.15 level. As confidence in U.S. assets has somewhat returned, the dollar is benefiting from the lack of economic data, showing very low volatility. Nevertheless, we maintain our view that, once economic data returns, the slowdown driven by U.S. tariff policy will become more evident, ultimately ending the consolidation and pushing the dollar lower. Although it is hard to justify given its recent resilience, we maintain our euro/dollar forecasts at 1.20 in three months and 1.25 in twelve months, which remains in line with the average depreciation of the dollar over those periods,” notes Maier.

Implications for Investment

For Pierre-Alexis Dumont, Chief Investment Officer at Sycomore AM (part of Generali Investments), one of the key lessons for investors in this first year is that both the dollar and U.S. Treasury bonds have seen their status as reserve currency and safe haven questioned, respectively. “As a result, investors have sought diversification and alternative safe investments. Trump’s disruptive agenda has also created new market leadership, especially for European exporting companies. We will have to get used to an environment of lower visibility, greater dispersion, and different stock market leadership,” explains Dumont.

According to the currency strategist at J. Safra Sarasin Sustainable AM, the weakening of the dollar reflects investor concern, as they have sought ways to protect themselves against a decline in the dollar. In this regard, one of the big winners has been gold, which has posted its best performance since 1979, with an increase of over 50% so far this year.

“Flows into gold-backed ETFs have risen significantly, while central bank purchases have moderated. Despite its recent correction, we remain convinced that the environment remains favorable for the precious metal in both the medium and long term. We expect it to continue expanding its role as a global safe-haven asset,” notes Wewel.

Finally, Brown highlights the impact that the weakening of the dollar will have on emerging markets and their investment opportunities. The Schroders economist notes that a weaker dollar would be a deflationary boost for the rest of the world, an effect that tends to be stronger in emerging markets.

“A 20% depreciation of the dollar could reduce the average food inflation rate in emerging markets by around 1.2% and lower energy inflation by another 1.4%. Altogether, just the effects on food and energy could bring down the average headline inflation rate in emerging markets by about 0.5%, which stood at 3.2% in May 2025. Lower inflation due to currency appreciation would open the door for emerging market central banks to further ease their monetary policy, improving growth prospects,” concludes Brown.

Guaranteed Bonds: From Little-Known Asset to Fixed-Income Rock Star

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Photo courtesyHenrik Stille, Fixed-Income Portfolio Manager at Nordea Asset Management

One of the trends we’ve seen in 2025 is the return of fixed income to its traditional role and function in investment portfolios. According to Henrik Stille, portfolio manager at Nordea AM, this comeback is marked by investors demanding more than just high-quality credit and government debt—they are seeking new approaches to fixed-income positioning.

In this context, Stille points to one clear winner: covered bonds. This instrument provides a dual guarantee for investors—on one hand, the issuer itself (mainly financial institutions), and on the other, a pool of collateral assets. “They are considered a low-risk asset, rated AAA, generally uncorrelated with risk assets, and exempt from haircuts in the event the issuer defaults,” he explains.

European Financial Innovation

While relatively new, this asset class is becoming more familiar to investors. “Before 2007, they only existed in five or six countries worldwide, primarily in Western Europe. It wasn’t a widely followed asset class due to its limited scope. But after the 2007–2008 financial crisis, regulatory changes in Europe concerning financial institutions’ liquidity minimums and deposit backing led to more banks globally beginning to issue these covered bonds,” he explains.

In Stille’s view, this marked the starting point for an asset class that is now global. “Today, we’re looking at a €3.5 trillion market. In terms of liquidity, it is the second most liquid asset class after government-guaranteed bonds. For example, the Canadian covered bond market is now the seventh largest in the world—even though the asset class didn’t exist there before 2007. More importantly, as in the case of Canada, all countries are issuing covered bonds in euros. So we are dealing with a global euro-denominated asset class. It’s one of the few examples of financial innovation that Europe has successfully exported to the rest of the world. I believe we in Europe should be quite proud of that,” he states.

Covered Bonds in Portfolios

As an expert in the asset class, Stille notes that the rise of covered bonds has gone hand-in-hand with their inclusion in investment portfolios. Traditionally, investors have built their fixed-income allocations around two pillars: private and public debt. “However, more and more investors are becoming familiar with this asset class, and when shaping their fixed-income allocation, they’re now including a third pillar: covered bonds,” he adds.

The qualities that have turned covered bonds from an unknown asset into a fixed-income rock star are key to this shift. “First of all, this is an asset class that can only be issued based on available collateral, making them clearly liquid, lower-risk than other fixed-income assets, and highly rated—always AAA,” he emphasizes.

Stille highlights that the European Central Bank (ECB) itself has demonstrated the importance of covered bonds in monetary policy: “Over the past years, the ECB has implemented several direct purchase programs for covered bonds. When it began its QE program, it prioritized buying them over other credit assets or sovereign debt. They have always been a crucial part of the ECB’s monetary policy for two reasons: they are seen as a safe asset class, and, more importantly for the ECB, they are politically neutral.”

Investment Opportunities

When it comes to identifying key investment opportunities, the Nordea AM manager points clearly to Europe. According to Stille, there are four major regions of interest: Southern Europe, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia (mainly Australia), and France.

“Southern Europe mainly refers to Spain, Italy, and Portugal. We like these countries because their banks are cautious in extending credit, have strong balance sheets, and receive high deposit inflows. These are well-balanced institutions. We also like them because their economies appear to be performing well. As for Eastern Europe, I’m thinking primarily of Slovakia and Poland, which share some similarities with the Southern European situation,” he explains.

Regarding Southeast Asia, Stille focuses on Australia but also sees opportunities in New Zealand, Singapore, and Japan. “We like this region because the bonds are issued by very strong banks—stronger than many European counterparts. They have better ratios and lower risks, though their yields are somewhat lower,” he notes.

Finally, Stille believes France deserves its own mention: “We like French bonds and believe they should not be penalized so heavily due to the country’s sovereign challenges. Even if the sovereign rating is downgraded to single A—as is quite likely next year—French covered bonds will remain triple-A. With French bonds still rated triple-A at current levels, we believe they are very attractive compared to many other countries’ bonds. French banks are stable, strong, and we can buy them at a 15–20 basis point spread versus Belgian banks, for example.”

U.S.: Work Stress Hits Generation Z the Hardest

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Generation Z, which will soon make up the majority of the U.S. workforce, faces higher levels of stress and less social support—factors that could directly impact productivity, turnover, and labor costs, according to the 2025 Quality of Life Trends Report prepared by Humankind in collaboration with NORC at the University of Chicago.

The study, based on a national sample of 1,121 adults, shows that 79% of young employees report that stress interferes with their performance, affecting their ability to concentrate, make decisions, and stay motivated. The main contributing factors identified include sleep issues, eating habits, and financial stress—the latter considered a key distraction in the workplace.

In addition, nearly half of working-age adults have two or fewer trusted individuals to turn to in a crisis, while one in ten workers under 44 lacks any support network at all.

“Employees’ financial and emotional well-being directly influences their ability to create value. Companies have the opportunity and responsibility to intervene before stress erodes engagement and productivity,” said Jaclyn Wainwright, co-founder and CEO of Humankind.

The report emphasizes that traditional models of passive benefits no longer meet the needs of a younger, more diverse workforce. Organizations will need to embrace proactive and personalized financial and emotional wellness strategies in order to retain talent and optimize operational performance in an increasingly competitive landscape.