A forward looking take on today's world finance news economy

They are called rare earth elements and will be the driving force of the future economy. Metals like gallium, cobalt, and yttrium are true gold mines for the production of batteries and technological tools. China is the undisputed master of the rare earth market, accounting for 95% of the total production. According to the European Commission, the demand for rare […]

The future of fuels is at the center of discussions in the European Union, and it’s clear that significant changes are on the horizon. From 2035, vehicles with diesel or petrol engines will no longer be permitted, and two alternatives are being considered to replace these fuels: e-fuels and biofuels. While Germany has already reached an agreement with the EU […]

After the United States, it’s now Europe’s turn. The failure of Silicon Valley Bank was just the beginning. This time, a Swiss bank is caught up in the storm: Credit Suisse. Let us explain what happened and the potential domino effect with Davide Chiantore, Head of Research at Abalone Solitaire. On March 8th, 2021, Credit Suisse announced that it had […]

American banks in crisis. The lack of current funds causes Silvergate and Silicon Valley Bank to sink, along with many other struggling financial institutions. But how did we get to this point? And could this storm also affect European banks? The analysis comes from Davide Chiantore, Head of Research at Abalone Solitaire.

  Italy, known as “Il Belpaese,” is not self-sufficient in terms of energy, but it has great potential for developing renewable energy sources. According to Davide Chiantore, Head of Research at Abalone Solitaire, the issue of nuclear power also needs to be carefully evaluated. Italy is highly dependent on energy imports, mainly from Russia and Algeria. In 2020, Italy’s energy […]

A new agreement has been reached between the United Kingdom and the European Union regarding post-Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been instrumental in negotiating this agreement, which has the potential to impact both the UK and the EU in significant ways. However, not everyone is pleased with this new agreement. Some believe that […]

One year after the outbreak of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the economic consequences of this ongoing crisis continue to impact the world. The conflict has had a significant impact on the energy sector, leading to a rise in the cost of energy and increased prices for raw materials. As a result, inflation is also on the rise, and […]

The European Union’s Council of Economics and Finance has added Russia to the Blacklist, which is a list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes. But what does it mean to be included in this “blacklist”? Does Russia really pose a fiscal concern, or is its inclusion in the blacklist an instrument used by the European Union to deal with the […]

United States on one side, China on the other. Tensions continue, also thanks to a balloon sighted over the American skies and identified as a Chinese spy. But that’s not all: the Russian-Ukrainian conflict is also fueling tensions between America and Dragon. The comment is by Davide Chiantore, Head of Research of Abalone Solitaire.

The World Economic Forum 2023 is coming to an end. Many issues have been addressed by the great world powers, few concrete solutions have been found. The analysis of the issues put on the table in Davos is by Davide Chiantore, Head of research of Abalone Solitaire

The World Economic Forum takes place in #Davos for its 53rd edition. And it does so by breaking away from the past. Two major absences this year, those of the presidents of the world’s greatest economic powers – Joe Biden on the one hand and Xi Jinping on the other. The keynote is by Davide Chiantore, Head of Research at […]

Costs too high for Italians. Codacons estimates that in 2023 each household will spend an average of 2,435 euros more than in 2022. #Inflation and higher prices on raw materials remain very critical. Read more about the last analysis by Davide Chiantore, head of research at Abalone Solitaire.

The increase in interest rates by the ECB is reflected in mortgage payments. Floating rate on one side, fixed rate on the other. But what scenarios lie ahead for the future? Will the European Central Bank continue to raise interest rates? The analysis is by Davide Chiantore, Head of Research of Abalone Solitaire

The use of cash divides public opinion between those who argue that it is more convenient for payments and those who argue that it favors tax evasion and organized crime.

Italy country of bonuses. From those on income, to those for construction, from the transport bonus to the scooter bonus. Rainfall contributions that try to resolve the country from the difficult economic situation. But are these bonuses really a help for citizens or do they risk becoming a double-edged sword? The analysis is by Davide Chiantore, Head of Research of […]

China as a world economic power. In recent years, the land of the dragon has made enormous strides, but the model that has worked so far seems to be in crisis. This is demonstrated by the protests that animate various areas of the country and which could create serious problems for the government of the Chinese People’s Party. The analysis […]

Davide Chiantore, head of research at Abalone Solitaire comments on the end of Cop27 and the establishment of the Loss and Damage Fund. Despite the good intentions there is still a lot to do: it is not clear how this fund will be fed nor which countries will be able to benefit specifically from it. Furthermore, the World Bank may […]

In the United States, the mid-term elections saw the victory of the Democrats and this allowed for a change in international politics. In fact, Joe Biden, strengthened by the electoral result, met Xi Jinping at the G20 in Bali and with him tried to dictate a political line in relation to the Russian-Ukrainian war which, in different and various ways, […]

From Meta to Twitter, big techs announce mass layoffs: digital seems to no longer be a sector that creates new job opportunities. And the Twitter case seems to be the most controversial: the goal of its CEO Elon Musk seems to be to make the platform the most authoritative source of information in the world. But at what price? The […]

The video is in Italian with automatically generated captions The Pope and Macron, the head of the CIA Burns and Putin: it seems that the policy of doves is also moving while the strategy of the hawks has brought the economies of half the world to their knees. What scenarios were opening up just a year ago when the planet […]

The ecological transition is now a very urgent matter. The Russian-Ukrainian conflict and the resulting energy crisis have changed the priorities of states. Yet there are countries that still offer resistance. The analysis is by Davide Chiantore, research manager of Abalone Solitaire.

Great Britain sees the shadow of the recession and the crisis appears to be even greater than other Eurozone countries. On the one hand there are those who blame the current situation on Brexit, on the other hand those who point the finger at the pandemic, the war and the energy crisis. All this and the reaction of the markets […]

The 20th Congress of the CCP will open in Beijing on October 16. Xi Jinping will be able to remain leader for the third consecutive five-year term, after he amended the constitution and eliminated the two-term limit in 2018. But how are the markets reacting? The analysis is by Davide Chiantore, head of research at Abalone Solitaire.

Davide Chiantore, Head of Research at Abalone Solitaire, analyzes how world policies influence market trends. Never, as today, are geopolitical contexts reflected on the economies of countries: from the United States to Brazil, along with all of Europe

Davide Chiantore, Head of Research at Abalone Solitaire, comments on the current increase in wheat prices and describes the consequences on Italian and foreign markets. The food sector is expected to remain under pressure for a long time and it is impossible to return to the raw material costs of a few years ago. This scenario has inevitable repercussions on […]

Recent weeks have seen some major rebounds in equity markets, especially in certain sectors such as US tech. This suggests that optimism is slowly returning among investors. Therefore, it could be cautiously thought that a period of stability is coming about, with a potential recovery phase ahead, at least in the short- to medium-term. A realignment of prices is being […]

Last week the European Central Bank surprisingly raised rates by 50 basis-points. This is a higher increase than expected, but the market did not react particularly badly. The strong balance sheets that multinationals are presenting, in terms of revenue growth, turnover and profits, will help to offset the rate hike that the ECB is going to aggressively pursue. As far […]

In recent weeks inflation indices have reached new heights, an example of which in the US is the year-on-year CPI that has hit 9.1%. This indicates that Central Banks will tend to be more aggressive in raising rates in the near future. A slowdown in economic growth in the coming years could be brought on by a reduction in yields […]

The weak market scenario which is currently being experienced can be highly impacted with the rise in Covid cases. At present, the great fear is that the Chinese government may impose an extended lockdown again which would have a negative impact on production, right at a time when there has been an easing in the shortage of industrial components. With […]

Sickness, war and famine are three of the ten plagues in the Bible’s Exodus. In less than two years, the whole world has had to come to terms with these three phenomena. These kinds of events, unfortunately, are part of the natural cyclical nature of humanity. From the writing of the Bible’s Exodus until today, there are two factors that […]

After the intervention of the ECB and Christine Lagarde, markets were calmed down by the announcement of a plan to contain spreads in Europe. We saw a rise in bond prices and a fall in yields, especially on the European government side. This is expected to continue especially on the dollar portion of bond issues, as expectations of rate hikes […]

Recent weeks have seen a relatively strong trend in the markets, which could eventually lead to a stabilization. The reason for which lies in the fact that fears of a slowdown in economic growth can cause falling inflation. This situation could actually encourage Central Banks to take a less aggressive stance because they prioritize keeping inflation low while being attentive […]

In a world where inflation and rates are rising, the speed of depreciation is much higher than one might imagine. It is very important, therefore, to be able to give returns on capital in order to avoid having a considerable loss of value on investments on a national level. The rise in rates by the Central Banks, moreover, facilitates the […]

Recently there has been a very delicate situation going on in the European Bond markets. As the ECB was unable to communicate its monetary policy choices elegantly and clearly to the market in a recent unsuccessful meeting, investors and the public at large were left feeling insecure and confused. This led to an explosion of yields on government bonds, particularly […]

As the elections in China approach, there are thought to be interesting investment opportunities throughout South-East Asia. This is because the Chinese government will tend to ease the tight restrictions that have been in place in recent months precisely to try to arrive at the elections in a more calm and peaceful climate. Interesting opportunities can be seen in both […]

Roberto Colapinto – Founder of Abalone Group I started my career back in 1998 in London with the Americans of Stationery Bank from Boston. I was in London for two years and then I was asked to move to Zurich to help setting up the Swiss banking entity, the street still today runs in Zurich. Seeing a bank created from […]

The long-lasting war between Russia and Ukraine shows no sign of ending, the more time passes, the more we see a continuous evolution on the war scenario. The latest weapon that has entered the field in this latest phase is that of wheat and, more generally, foodstuffs such as sunflower oil and soya, which are produced in Ukraine. Russia at […]

Edoardo Grigione – Abalone Asset Management Ltd Abalone has introduced its business into the Italian market with the launch of the Abalone Asset Management’s branch in Milan at 15 Corso Vittorio Emanuele. The opening coincides with the re-opening of the “Salone del Risparmio”, a major event in the space of Italian networking happenings dedicated to the finance industry. Abalone is […]

Davide Chiantore – Abalone Solitaire Since the beginning of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine to date, the situation has been deteriorating and there seems to be no chance of a peace agreement, at least in the short term. This situation of fear is creating a certain amount of apprehension among investors in Europe and beyond, and so there have […]

We find ourselves here today with Abalone Asset Management proudly sponsoring this wonderful event organized by Integrae SIM. It is an event that gives us the opportunity to once again meet our colleagues and friends face-to-face after two years spent communicating almost exclusively through technological platforms. These platforms have been of enormous help during this pandemic, but they have also […]

Milo Guastamacchia is the engineer in charge of leading the design and implementation of financial solutions at Abalone Services in Malta, a company that is part of the Abalone Group, a pan-European financial services entity. At Abalone Services Milo is responsible for interacting with project promoters that typically require the structuring of financial vehicles, be it investment funds or other, […]

e are in Lugano, on a cold January afternoon. I am talking to a friend of mine, a forty years old gentleman who after many vicissitudes around the world has decided to settle permanently in this corner of Switzerland because, as he says, he wants “to put some order to his life and possibly get a family”.

THE BISCUIT WAR For some days now in Italy there has been a great rumour of the war that has broken out between Barilla and Ferreo. The first one in January launched on the market the “Pan di Stelle Spreadable Cream”, launching a frontal attack on the multinational company of Alba that has dominated the sector for 55 years with […]

I was up at night thinking I must post a Christmas greeting from Mission of Love but at 3am I started getting news that it was not a happy Christmas for the Ati of Boracay this morning as a typhoon has badly damaged many of their homes and one of the grandfathers of the tribe has been injured and had […]

When Charlie Chaplin and Albert Einstein met, Einstein said: “What I most admire about your art is its universality. Don’t say a word, but nevertheless the whole world understands you.

In the late afternoon of December 2, 1942, James Conant, chairman of the National Defense Research Committee, received a phone call from the famous American physicist Arthur Holly Compton.

And here we are again, for the third consecutive month, talking about the BTP Methuselah. The sensational race of the entire bond sector seems to be over and the driving effect on long duration fixed rate bonds is unstoppable.

Since the 1950s (particularly after the 1951 Agreement was signed which gave the FED the opportunity to implement counter-cyclical policies) this is one of the first things investors and young traders learned as they debuted on the Wall Street floor.

During a sultry spring afternoon, an Italian gentleman enters a bank in New York and asks to speak with the employee in charge of the loans. He explains to the official that he has to go to Italy for two weeks to find his family of origin and needs a loan of 5,000 dollars.

The Charging Bull in New York, the bronze statue of the sculptor Arturo Di Modica depicting a bull in charge, has become in a few years one of the most famous symbols of world capitalism, a true international icon of finance, visited and photographed almost as much as the Statue of Liberty.

Millennials are identified as those born between the 1980s and the new millennium. This generation is challenging the traditional way in which financial services are delivered.

Lately, particularly after the financial crisis, the financial sector has witnessed an increase in regulatory requirements, both in terms of restriction and disclosure.

The so-called ‘helicopter money’ policy has been recently refused in Japan, nevertheless it is receiving more consideration than in the past in developed countries, e.g. the United States and European countries.

Today, the 21st of July 2016, the very first Notified Alternative Investment Fund (NAIF) has been launched in Malta by Abalone Asset Management, which gains the primacy for structuring this innovative type of fund. Abalone and its team is indeed very proud to announce the launch of Ventura SICAV, whose notification process has ended successfully with the MFSA registering the […]

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has published on the 19th of July its Advice for the European Parliament, Commission and Council consideration in relation to the application of the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD) passport to non-EU Alternative Investment Fund Managers (AIFMs) and Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) in twelve countries. Non-EU AIFMs and AIFs could thus be granted the […]

With the coming into force of the new NAIF structure (Notified Alternative Investment Fund), Malta puts itself under the spotlight as a financial centre dynamic and responsive to the rising European trends.

Several UK property funds has recently halted redemptions from clients, following a peak of requests. ‘Exceptional market circumstances’ are brought forward as reason for the halt in trading, uneasy decision taken in order to avoid huge losses that would occur if investors’ cash appetite was to be immediately satisfied with on-the-spot sale of the funds’ assets, something not possible in the real […]

69% of High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs) use online banking. 47% of HNWIs not using robo-services would consider them for the future. This is to say how the tech appetite is remarkable in the segment, which might be an alarm for the wealth and more generally asset management business. Indeed, according to a new survey from the CFA Institute, asset […]

There is no doubt on the potential negative effect ‘Brexit’ may have on the UK asset management industry. But how much would this separation be painful? Concerns are related, among the many issues, to the UCITS funds. These european-level regulated funds can hold a passport licence enabling them to do business throughout the Union, provided that they are domiciled and […]