Marsh is exploring a sale of its financial risk manager and life insurance broker for high-net-worth individuals in Asia, according to people familiar with the matter.Marsh, formerly known as Marsh & McLennan Cos., is working with an adviser on a possible disposal of Private Client Services as it looks to streamline its global portfolio of assets, the people said, asking not to be identified because the deliberations are private. PCS, which is under Marsh’s Mercer subsidiary, has drawn early interest from p ...

Group 1 - Citrini Research's report highlights potential risks of AI impacting various sectors, leading to significant stock declines in food delivery, payment, software, and IT services [1][7] - Specific stock declines include DoorDash (-7%), Uber (-4%), American Express (-8%), Visa (-5%), and Mastercard (-6%) among others, with several companies experiencing drops of at least 3% [1][6] - The report presents a hypothetical scenario for June 2028, suggesting AI could cause widespread white-collar job losses and a contraction in consumer spending [4] Group 2 - The report describes a future where AI could replace dominant food delivery apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats with alternative solutions [5] - AI could potentially eliminate transaction fees charged by payment processors like Mastercard and Visa, benefiting users financially [6] - The recent "AI panic" has led to sell-offs across multiple sectors, including software, wealth management, and logistics, as investors react to perceived risks [8]

That a move to limit withdrawals from a $1.6 billion fund drove a $2.4 billion drop in Blue Owl's market value shows shareholders' skittishness. Investors in the fund, known as OBDC II, have been gated for months as the firm pursued and then abandoned a plan to merge it with another of its vehicles. Blue Owl is now selling roughly one-third of OBDC II's loans and handing 30% of investors' money back to them, a move the firm says is accelerating, not slowing, the overall return of capital. When redemptions w ...

Core Viewpoint - Blue Owl Capital's decision to limit redemptions from its private credit fund has raised concerns about the potential risks in the $1.8 trillion private credit market, leading to significant stock price declines for Blue Owl and its peers [1][3][12]. Group 1: Blue Owl Capital's Actions - Blue Owl Capital announced that investors in Blue Owl Capital Corp II (OBDC II) will no longer be able to redeem shares quarterly, instead opting for periodic distributions funded by loan recoveries, asset sales, or other transactions [3][4]. - The company has sold approximately $1.4 billion in direct loan investments at a face value of 99.7% to provide promised liquidity to investors [3][6]. - Blue Owl's stock price has dropped over 15% this month, reflecting growing investor concerns about the private credit industry amid market valuation issues and the quality of loans to highly leveraged companies [5][12]. Group 2: Market Reactions and Implications - The stock price decline of Blue Owl has negatively impacted the broader market, dragging down shares of other private equity firms such as Ares Management, Apollo Global Management, and Blackstone [1][3]. - Analysts have described the stock price drop as an overreaction, noting that OBDC II had already suspended redemptions since November [9][10]. - The sale of loans is seen as a positive step for liquidity, with analysts suggesting it establishes an efficient process for returning capital to investors [6][8]. Group 3: Broader Industry Context - Bank of America has committed $25 billion to private credit transactions, joining other major banks in increasing their involvement in this rapidly growing market [12][14]. - The private credit industry has seen significant expansion, with firms like Ares Management and Apollo Global Management heavily investing in this sector [13][14]. - The relationship between banks and alternative asset management firms is becoming increasingly complex, with banks sometimes viewing private credit growth with skepticism [14].

Stocks opened lower in Japan and Australia, indicating a headwind to sentiment after two days of advances for a gauge of the region’s stocks. Markets were also set to reopen in Hong Kong after the Lunar New Year holidays, while those for mainland China remained shut. The dollar was poised to notch its best week since mid-November.Crude rallied as President Donald Trump said the US has to “make a meaningful deal” with Iran, adding that the next 10 days will tell whether there will be an accord. Treasuries e ...

Group 1 - A consortium of private credit firms, led by Goldman Sachs Alternative Investment Fund, will provide $3.5 billion to support the acquisition of Clearwater Analytics (CWAN.US) [1] - The debt issuance will carry a premium of 4.5 percentage points over the U.S. benchmark interest rate [1] - The acquisition, led by private equity firms Permira Holdings and Warburg Pincus, values Clearwater at approximately $8.4 billion and is expected to close by mid-2026 [1] Group 2 - Clearwater provides a cloud software platform for institutional investors in both public and private markets [2] - Recent market focus on the potential of artificial intelligence replacing software services has led to a decline in debt prices for some companies, casting a shadow over private equity investments in software [2] - The financing for the acquisitions of OneStream and Clearwater indicates that private credit institutions remain open to the software sector despite scrutiny over their exposure to risks [2]

Core Insights - Affiliated Managers Group Inc. (AMG) reported fourth-quarter 2025 economic earnings of $9.48 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $8.75 and reflecting a 45.2% increase year over year [1][7] - Economic net income for the quarter was $271.7 million, a 32% year-over-year increase, surpassing the estimate of $235.3 million [2] - Total revenues for the fourth quarter rose 6.2% year over year to $556.6 million, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $551.5 million [3] Financial Performance - For 2025, economic earnings per share were $26.05, exceeding the consensus estimate of $25.45 and growing 22% year over year [2] - Total revenues for 2025 reached $2.07 billion, a 1.6% increase, slightly below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.08 billion [3] - Adjusted EBITDA for the fourth quarter was $378.1 million, up 34.2%, surpassing the projected $326.3 million [3] Assets Under Management (AUM) - As of December 31, 2025, total AUM was $813.3 billion, a 14.9% increase, although below the estimate of $854.1 billion [4] - Average AUM for the quarter was $821.3 billion, reflecting a 14.5% year-over-year growth [4] - Net client cash inflows during the reported quarter amounted to $12.1 billion [4] Capital and Liquidity - As of December 31, 2025, AMG had $586 million in cash and cash equivalents, down from $950 million a year earlier [5] - The company's debt increased to $2.69 billion from $2.62 billion as of December 31, 2024 [5] - Stockholders' equity decreased to $3.24 billion from $3.35 billion year over year [5] Share Repurchase and Acquisitions - During the fourth quarter, AMG repurchased shares worth $350 million and announced an additional buyback authorization of approximately 6 million shares [6] - AMG also announced the acquisition of a minority equity stake in HighBrook Investors, a real estate investment manager, to diversify its business [8] Market Position and Outlook - AMG is positioned for growth due to successful partnerships, a focus on alternative strategies, and a diverse product mix [9] - However, concerns remain regarding substantial intangible assets and elevated expense levels [9]

You can find original article here WealthManagement. Subscribe to our free daily WealthManagement newsletters. (Bloomberg) -- An artificial intelligence tool aimed at creating tax strategies sparked a selloff in wealth-management stocks Tuesday as investors fear the business could be at risk from automated advice.  The innovation puts the wealth-management industry in the crosshairs of AI competition, the way it did for software stocks and private credit firms last week and&nbsp ...

By Denise Wee and Ambereen Choudhury   Standard Chartered Plc Chief Financial Officer Diego De Giorgi, one of the front-runners to eventually replace long-time Chief Executive Officer Bill Winters, unexpectedly resigned after about two years in the role.    He will be replaced by deputy CFO Peter Burrill on an interim basis as the London-based firm seeks a permanent replacement in “due course,” according to a statement.   De Giorgi, who joined the bank in September 2023, will take on a role at Apollo Gl ...

Investment Overview - An investor group led by Apollo Global Management Inc. has agreed to invest over $1 billion in QXO Inc. to support its acquisition strategy [1] - The investment is also backed by firms including Franklin Templeton, with an announcement expected soon [2] Financial Details - The financing will be in convertible preferred stock, with an initial conversion price of $23.25 per share, approximately 18% above QXO's closing price of $19.72 [3] - QXO's shares increased by as much as 7.4% in premarket trading, and the stock has risen over 20% in the past year, giving it a market value of $13.3 billion [3] Acquisition Strategy - A significant condition for the financing is that QXO must acquire at least one company by mid-July [4] - QXO aims to consolidate the building products distribution industry and has already made a major acquisition of Beacon Roofing Supply Inc. for $11 billion [5][6] - Jacobs is in discussions with seven different targets, with revenues up to $20 billion [8] Company Background - QXO was created in 2023 by Brad Jacobs, who has a history of successful deal-making [5] - The company targets a wide range of products, including construction materials, plumbing supplies, and heating and cooling equipment [6] - Jacobs previously attempted to acquire GMS Inc. for $5 billion, which was sold to Home Depot Inc. [7]