You can find original article here WealthManagement. Subscribe to our free daily WealthManagement newsletters. Sowell Management, a North Little Rock, Ark.-based registered investment advisor with over $6 billion in assets under management, has named Daryl Seaton as CEO, succeeding Bill Sowell in a planned leadership transition.  Seaton joined the RIA in 2020 as chief operating officer, and has served as president since 2023.  Sowell, who founded the firm in 2001, will serve as chief strategy ...

Core Viewpoint - GCM Grosvenor will release its fourth quarter and full year 2025 results on February 10, 2026, and will host a conference call to discuss these results and provide a business update [1][2]. Group 1: Company Overview - GCM Grosvenor is a global alternative asset management solutions provider with approximately $87 billion in assets under management across various investment strategies including private equity, infrastructure, real estate, credit, and absolute return [3]. - The firm has over 50 years of experience in alternatives and aims to deliver value for clients through its cross-asset class and flexible investment platform [3]. Group 2: Team and Global Presence - GCM Grosvenor employs around 560 professionals and serves a diverse global client base consisting of institutional and individual investors [4]. - The company is headquartered in Chicago and has offices in major cities including New York, Toronto, London, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Seoul, and Sydney [4].

Core Viewpoint - Flora Growth Corp. will change its corporate name to "ZeroStack Corp." effective around January 29, 2026, with its common shares trading under the new symbol "ZSTK" on the Nasdaq [1][4]. Group 1: Name and Ticker Change - The name and ticker change reflects the company's evolution towards an AI-focused asset management strategy, with its first investment in $0G, the native asset of the 0G decentralized AI operating system [2]. - The transition to ZeroStack Corp. aligns the company's public identity with its focus on decentralized AI and a disciplined, yield-based asset management strategy [4]. Group 2: Business Focus and Strategy - ZeroStack aims to provide exposure to decentralized AI through a concentrated digital asset approach, generating yield and fee-based income from staking validators, compute power technology companies, and complementary businesses within the $0G ecosystem [3]. - The company holds approximately 123 million $0G tokens, which are integral to its strategy in the decentralized AI landscape [3]. Group 3: Company Background - Flora Growth Corp., soon to be rebranded as ZeroStack, is the first Nasdaq-listed asset management company focused on decentralized AI exposure and also operates a global pharmaceutical distribution business through its subsidiary, Phatebo GmbH [5].

Core Viewpoint - Mackenzie Investments and SEI have launched four new Collective Investment Trusts (CITs) to provide U.S. institutional investors with access to Mackenzie's Global Quantitative Equity strategies, combining advanced data science with human insight to generate alpha while managing risk [1][2][3]. Group 1: New Investment Offerings - The newly launched CITs include the following strategies: Mackenzie Quantitative International Large Cap CIT, Mackenzie Quantitative International Small Cap CIT, Mackenzie Quantitative US Small Cap CIT, and Mackenzie Quantitative Emerging Markets All Cap CIT [7]. - These CITs are designed to streamline access for defined contribution and defined benefit plans to Mackenzie's holistic quantitative investment approach [2]. Group 2: Partnership and Operational Excellence - SEI Trust Company will serve as the trustee for the new CITs, enhancing operational scale and fiduciary capabilities to meet the needs of U.S. institutional investors [3][4]. - The partnership aims to empower institutional investors, allocators, consultants, and recordkeepers with efficient investment options, reflecting a commitment to operational excellence and fiduciary service [4]. Group 3: Company Backgrounds - Mackenzie Investments, a Canadian investment management firm, manages approximately $244 billion (CAD) in assets as of December 31, 2025, and is part of IGM Financial Inc., which has total assets under management and advisement of approximately $310 billion (CAD) [5]. - SEI, a global provider of financial technology and asset management services, manages, advises, or administers approximately $1.8 trillion in assets as of September 30, 2025 [6].

Core Viewpoint - The Shareholders' Nomination Committee of eQ Plc has proposed the composition and remuneration of the Board of Directors for the upcoming Annual General Meeting scheduled for 24 March 2026 [1]. Group 1: Board Composition - The Shareholders' Nomination Committee proposes that the number of members on the Board of Directors remains unchanged at six (6), or five (5) if a proposed member is unable to serve [2]. - The nominees for re-election to the Board of Directors include Päivi Arminen, Nicolas Berner, Caroline Bertlin, Georg Ehrnrooth, Janne Larma, and Tomas von Rettig [4]. - The term of office for the Board members will conclude at the close of the next Annual General Meeting [4]. Group 2: Board Compensation - The proposed compensation for the Chair of the Board is 5,000 euros per month, while the Vice Chair will receive 4,000 euros per month, and other Board members will receive 3,000 euros per month [3]. - Additionally, a compensation of 750 euros per attended Board meeting is proposed for all Board members, with travel and accommodation expenses reimbursed according to eQ Plc's guidelines [3]. Group 3: Nominee Consent and Leadership - All nominees have consented to the proposal and have indicated that Janne Larma will be selected as Chair of the Board of Directors upon election [5].

Gold’s surge past $5,000 an ounce and mounting uncertainty around U.S. crypto legislation are shaping a critical moment for digital asset markets, according to Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan. Key Takeaways: Gold’s surge above $5,000 reflects growing distrust in fiat currencies and centralized financial systems. Institutional demand for assets beyond government control is reshaping how investors view both gold and crypto. As trust in traditional institutions erodes, crypto’s self-custody ...

Market Overview - The crypto market is experiencing volatility, with Bitcoin (BTC) falling 7% last week, marking its largest loss in two months, and dropping below a bullish trendline that had supported its rise from $20,000 to a record $126,000 [1] - Bitcoin's price rebounded to nearly $88,000 from a weekend low of around $86,000, indicating a mild recovery despite the overall bearish sentiment [2] Institutional Activity - There is a noticeable decline in institutional interest in cryptocurrencies, as evidenced by a net outflow of $1.33 billion from U.S. spot ETFs last week, the highest outflow in 11 months [3] - On the following Monday, these ETFs only attracted $6.84 million, further highlighting the weakening appetite for crypto investments [3] Derivative Market Insights - Speculators are currently favoring precious metals over cryptocurrencies, leading to a crowded trade in downside protection through put options, while call options for Bitcoin are trading at lower prices, presenting potential opportunities for bullish investors [4][5] - Matthew Siegel from VanEck notes that the current market conditions offer a discount for upside exposure through Bitcoin call options, suggesting a potential bounce in prices for those with a bullish outlook [5] Broader Economic Context - In traditional markets, gold and silver are trading at all-time highs, while the Dollar Index is at its lowest since September of the previous year, indicating a shift in investor focus [6] - South Korea's Kospi index has risen 20% year-to-date, following a significant 75% increase last year, which historically has correlated with downward movements in Bitcoin prices [7]

Core Insights - Corient has acquired Palo Alto Wealth Advisors, enhancing its presence in California and Silicon Valley with $766.7 million in assets under management [1] - The acquisition strengthens Corient's focus on serving technology founders and professionals, aligning with its expertise in this sector [1] - The Palo Alto team will continue to operate under Corient's fiduciary, fee-only wealth management model, which emphasizes a client-first approach [1] Company Overview - Corient is the largest and fastest-growing wealth advisor in the U.S., managing approximately $218 billion for ultra-high- and high-net-worth clients [1] - The firm operates under a unique private partnership model, allowing clients access to a wide range of expertise and resources [1] - Since its founding in 2020, Corient has expanded to over 260 partners and 1,300 employees [1]

Core Insights - AGF Management Limited reported a significant increase in total assets under management and fee-earning assets, reaching $60.4 billion as of November 30, 2025, up from $56.8 billion in August 2025 and $53.6 billion in November 2024 [1][10][26] Financial Performance - For the fourth quarter ended November 30, 2025, AGF's revenues from management, advisory, and administration fees were $133.8 million, compared to $126.7 million in the previous quarter and $120.2 million in the same quarter of the previous year [16] - Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $52.4 million, an increase from $39.6 million in the prior year quarter [17] - Adjusted net income attributable to equity owners for the quarter was $41.2 million, translating to an adjusted diluted earnings per share of $0.62, compared to $29.8 million and $0.45 in the same quarter of the previous year [17] Sales and Assets - AGF's mutual fund gross sales for the quarter were $1,425 million, up from $1,260 million in the previous quarter and $993 million in the same quarter last year [3] - Retail mutual fund net sales were $282 million, compared to $262 million in the previous quarter and $14 million in the prior year quarter [3] Leadership and Strategy - Judy Goldring was appointed as CEO in July 2025, following the passing of the previous CEO, and has initiated changes to the senior leadership team to support AGF's multi-year growth strategy [6][11] - AGF Capital Partners launched the AGF NHC Tactical Alpha Fund, aimed at delivering attractive risk-adjusted returns [7] Awards and Recognition - AGF was recognized as one of Greater Toronto's Top Employers for 2026, highlighting the firm's strong culture and commitment to its employees [13] - AGF Investments Inc. received multiple awards, including the 2024 FundGrade A+® Awards for several funds and was named Mutual Fund Provider of the Year at the 2025 Wealth Professional Awards [14][36]

Core Insights - Invesco reported a fourth quarter diluted EPS of $(2.61), significantly impacted by a non-cash intangible impairment of $1.8 billion, which reduced EPS by $3.01 [1][15] - The company achieved record assets under management (AUM) of $2.2 trillion, with net long-term inflows of over $19 billion, reflecting a 5% annualized organic growth [2][7] - The adjusted diluted EPS for the fourth quarter was $0.62, showing a 1.6% increase from the previous quarter and a 19.2% increase year-over-year [10][24] Financial Performance - Operating revenues for Q4 2025 were $1,692.0 million, a 3.1% increase from Q3 2025 and a 6.2% increase from Q4 2024 [10][11] - The operating income for Q4 2025 was $(1,458.1) million, compared to $270.9 million in Q3 2025 and $311.7 million in Q4 2024 [10][11] - The adjusted operating income increased to $457.8 million in Q4 2025, a 12.7% increase from Q3 2025 and a 17.4% increase from Q4 2024 [10][22] Asset Management and Flows - Net long-term inflows for Q4 2025 were $19.1 billion, down from $28.9 billion in Q3 2025, with retail inflows of $10.2 billion and institutional inflows of $8.9 billion [3][4] - The company experienced net long-term outflows from Fundamental Equities of $5.5 billion, while ETFs and Index products saw inflows of $11.9 billion [4][7] - AUM increased by 2.1% in Q4 2025, with average AUM rising by 4.9% during the same period [5][10] Capital Management - Invesco repurchased $500 million of its Series A Preferred Stock in December 2025, totaling $1.5 billion in repurchases for the year [30] - The company reduced its debt to $1,825.1 million by repaying $240 million of a bank term loan during Q4 2025 [31] - Cash and cash equivalents increased to $1,037.5 million at year-end 2025, up from $973.1 million at the end of Q3 2025 [30] Market Position and Strategy - Invesco's strategic focus on unlocking value and accelerating profitable growth has positioned the firm well for the evolving global asset management market [2] - The conversion of Invesco QQQ Trust to an open-end fund ETF on December 20, 2025, is expected to enhance revenue generation [7][10] - The company continues to prioritize deleveraging its balance sheet while returning capital to shareholders through share repurchases [2][7]