Core Insights - Many Americans are concerned about whether their investment portfolios will provide sufficient income for retirement, with over 80% of those in their 60s invested in retirement plans, but only about 35% holding brokerage accounts [1] Investment Portfolio Data - For households aged 55-64, the median balance of directly held stocks is approximately $30,000, while pooled investment funds outside retirement accounts have a median of about $300,000. For those aged 65-74, these medians are about $65,000 and $250,000 respectively, indicating a typical taxable portfolio in the low- to mid-six figures [1] - In the second quarter of 2025, self-directed brokerage accounts within workplace retirement plans averaged around $362,000 [2] - Baby Boomers (ages 61 to 79 in 2025) have the largest average balances at about $599,000, while Gen X investors average about $379,000, reflecting a more engaged investor demographic [3] Retirement Account Balances - Typical defined-contribution retirement account balances for age groups are as follows: for ages 55-64, the average is $271,320, and for ages 65+, it is $299,442 [4] - Average IRA balances for Baby Boomers are reported at $257,000 in 2025, with many individuals holding both a 401(k) and an IRA [6] Average vs. Median Balances - The average balances are significantly higher than the median due to a small number of large accounts skewing the average upward, making the median a more representative figure for most Americans [5] - For individuals in their 60s, retirement accounts typically hold more than $300,000 in stocks on average, but the median balance is closer to about $100,000 [7]

MSCI is a powerhouse within the $139 trillion asset management industry and its decisions are hugely consequential for countries around the world - as Indonesian investors learned this week to their cost. ...

Core Insights - eQ has successfully raised EUR 155 million across four new private equity and venture capital funds, continuing its growth strategy in the investment sector [1] Private Equity Funds - The eQ PE XVIII North fund targets unlisted lower middle market companies in Northern Europe, with investments diversified across approximately 200 portfolio companies [2] - The eQ PE SF VI fund focuses on acquiring fund interests in the secondary market and continuation funds, mirroring the geographical focus and target company size of the eQ PE XVIII North fund [3] - eQ has launched its first dedicated co-investment fund, eQ PE Direct I, which will make direct co-investments in about 20 Northern European lower middle market companies [3] Venture Capital Funds - eQ has introduced its third venture capital fund, eQ VC III US, which invests in leading North American venture capital funds focusing on seed, early-stage, and growth-stage companies [4] - The investment advisor for the eQ VC III US fund is TrueBridge Capital Partners, recognized as a leading investor in venture capital funds [4] Capital Raising and Financial Performance - Capital raising for all funds will continue throughout 2026, with eQ having raised over EUR 2.0 billion for its European private equity funds over the past twelve years, and a total of EUR 3.1 billion including North American funds [5] Team Expansion and Expertise - eQ is enhancing its private equity organization with the addition of Janne Holmia, who brings 17 years of experience from Verdane Capital Advisors [6] - The team at eQ is among the largest and most experienced in the Nordics for lower middle market investments, with a focus on operational value creation and selective investor partnerships [7][9] Market Insights - In the lower middle market, eQ emphasizes moderate entry valuations and lower leverage levels, with exits primarily through sales to industrial buyers or larger private equity funds [7] - The venture capital landscape shows significant performance dispersion, with strong returns concentrated among a small group of managers, highlighting the importance of market insight and access [8] Company Overview - eQ is a Finnish asset management and corporate finance group managing approximately EUR 13.7 billion in assets, offering a range of services including private equity and real estate asset management [10]

Taiwan’s financial regulator is exploring tax incentives for family offices and expanding private banking services as part of its efforts to build up its wealth and asset management industry https://t.co/39hzrS6NS2 ...

Group 1: Changes in Regulatory Leadership - Michael Selig was sworn in as chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission on December 22, replacing Caroline Pham after her three-year tenure [2] - Caroline Crenshaw, the SEC's sole remaining Democrat, and other key officials, including Cicely LaMothe and Nekia Hackworth Jones, departed from the SEC in December [5][6] - Joshua White returns as chief economist and director of the division of economic risk analysis at the SEC, replacing Robert Fisher [9] Group 2: Staff Reductions and Restructuring - The SEC announced a 15% headcount reduction under the Trump administration, alongside a shake-up of its enforcement and examinations division, with the CFTC experiencing similar staff reductions [11] Group 3: New Appointments in Financial Institutions - Jamie Gavin left Societe Generale to become an external consultant for the London Stock Exchange Group's SwapAgent platform [13] - Julieta Susara was hired as chief risk officer for the UK at ING, focusing on risk management and regulatory compliance [15] - Jason Forrester has been promoted to group chief risk officer at Standard Chartered, succeeding Sadia Ricke [17] Group 4: Executive Changes in Other Firms - Craig Robertson left Barclays for Carbon Point, a trading firm in Connecticut [19] - Kenneth Pregnell joined Citadel Securities in a senior risk management role, leading the risk team [21] - Tobias Paulun was appointed as the new CEO of the European Energy Exchange, taking over from Peter Reitz [28]

Core Insights - SEI Investments (SEIC) reported a revenue of $607.93 million for the quarter ended December 2025, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 9.1% and surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.04% [1] - The earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter was $1.38, up from $1.19 in the same quarter last year, resulting in an EPS surprise of 3.29% over the consensus estimate of $1.34 [1] Financial Performance Metrics - SEI's assets under management (AUM) in New Business were reported at $3.04 billion, below the average estimate of $3.16 billion from five analysts [4] - AUM for LSV - Equity and Fixed Income programs reached $86.5 billion, exceeding the estimated $82.09 billion [4] - AUM for Institutional Investors was $76.99 billion, lower than the average estimate of $85.14 billion [4] - AUM for Investment Advisors stood at $79.39 billion, compared to the estimated $97.05 billion [4] - AUM for Private Banks was reported at $28.22 billion, below the average estimate of $31.45 billion [4] Revenue Breakdown - Revenue from asset management, administration, and distribution fees was $485.43 million, exceeding the estimate of $472.28 million and showing a year-over-year increase of 10.5% [4] - Revenue from information processing and software servicing fees was $122.5 million, slightly below the estimate of $123.71 million, with a year-over-year increase of 4.1% [4] - Revenue from Investment Managers was $220.84 million, surpassing the average estimate of $212.14 million, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 15.5% [4] - Revenue from Investments in New Business was $8.32 million, below the estimate of $9.59 million, showing a significant year-over-year decline of 47.1% [4] - Revenue from Investment Advisors was $156.16 million, exceeding the estimate of $152.43 million, with a year-over-year increase of 12.1% [4] - Revenue from Institutional Investors was $72.82 million, slightly below the estimate of $73.04 million, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 2.8% [4] - Revenue from Private Banks was reported at $149.78 million, exceeding the estimate of $147.29 million, with a year-over-year increase of 6.9% [4] Stock Performance - SEI shares have returned +1.8% over the past month, outperforming the Zacks S&P 500 composite, which changed by +0.8% [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), indicating potential for outperformance in the near term [3]

Gold surged to an all-time high above $5,500 an ounce, extending a breakneck rally fueled by US dollar weakness and a wider flight from sovereign bonds and currencies.Bullion jumped as much as 3.2% in early trading, building on a 4.6% leap in the previous session – its biggest one-day gain since the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020. Precious metals have risen dramatically this year on heightened geopolitical tensions and worries about the independence of the Federal Reserve, which have support ...

Core Insights - The article discusses the significant structural adjustments occurring in the global public fund market by 2025, highlighting the ongoing contraction of actively managed open-end funds and the rise of the "ETFization" trend as a key driver for institutional investment strategies [1][11]. Group 1: Market Trends - By 2025, the global public fund market is experiencing profound structural changes, with a notable shrinkage in actively managed open-end fund sizes [1][11]. - The "ETFization" trend is becoming a core driver for institutional investment strategies, particularly in the US and European markets, where actively managed ETFs are emerging as the primary issuance force [1][11]. Group 2: Fund Flows - In the fourth quarter of 2025, stock fund inflows in the Greater China region significantly rebounded, exceeding $33 billion in a single quarter [1][11]. Group 3: Research and Tools - The article emphasizes the need for institutional investors to adopt a robust research framework and tools that can penetrate underlying holdings and reach the core of strategies when selecting investment targets [1][11]. - The upcoming webinar will provide insights into the global public fund flow landscape for 2025 and demonstrate how to conduct efficient research on overseas actively managed ETF products using the Morningstar Direct terminal [1][4][5]. Group 4: Data and Analysis - Morningstar's database now includes over 6,300 actively managed ETFs, providing comprehensive data on performance, risk, holdings, and issuance methods [1][11]. - The webinar will also analyze the adaptability of ETF strategies under different issuance methods and review the successful experiences of key products [1][11]. Group 5: Morningstar Direct - Morningstar Direct is highlighted as a flagship investment research platform that offers a global investment database, featuring 600,000 funds, stocks, and market indices, widely used for fund selection, due diligence, and ESG research [1][12].

Core Insights - SEI Investments reported an "exceptional" fourth quarter, achieving earnings per share (EPS) of $1.38, marking the highest quarterly earnings performance in the company's history [3][5] - The company experienced broad-based revenue and operating profit growth across all business segments compared to the prior year and quarter [1][5] Financial Performance - Total sales events reached $44 million, with $28 million from Private Banking and $20 million from Investment Manager Services (IMS) [5][7] - AUA (Assets Under Administration) grew by approximately 3%, while AUM (Assets Under Management) increased by about 2%, driven by market appreciation and strong win momentum [11][12] Segment Contributions - Private Banking's revenue was bolstered by recent professional services wins, which convert into revenue more quickly than recurring sales [1] - IMS benefited from a revenue accrual true-up, with meaningful revenue and margin increases driven by recent wins and modest market appreciation [1][6] Capital Allocation and Acquisitions - SEI repurchased $101 million in Q4 and $616 million for the year, representing about 6% of total shares outstanding [4][14] - The Stratos partnership contributed approximately $5 million in revenue and just under $1 million in operating income during Q4, with further acquisitions planned [4][15] Future Outlook - The company plans to focus on accelerating product launches and evolving IMS toward platform-level services, including shared tooling and workflow automation [17][18] - Management indicated that while they do not provide earnings guidance, several factors will affect early 2026 performance, including seasonality and compensation increases [16]

We're already seeing tangible benefits, including greater awareness of SEI across the RIA and broker-dealer channels, and renewed inbound interest in our capabilities. Our focus now is on integrating our technology and investment management strengths into Stratos' platform and continuing to learn from their team as we scale together. This is a long-term strategic partnership, and we're focused on adding value in ways that support rather than disrupt their impressive organic growth. Stepping back from the nu ...