insights.

Acleda is a microfinance institution created in 1993 in Cambodia. It was founded as an NGO to assist refugees returning from Thai camps in Cambodia following the Cambodian conflict, who had often lost everything. Acleda developed in the following years to become a traditional commercial bank.

People need to access funds to found a company, manage financial and environmental risks, invest in the education of their children and deal with unexpected medical costs. Consequently, financial inclusion plays a major role in economic development, allowing longer-term projects to be set up.

Lebanon is trying to avoid adding a financial crisis to its political and economic woes. After the optimism of May 2018’s parliamentary election, its first since 2009, talks to form a balanced government along religious lines stalled, delaying reforms to address the world’s third-highest government debt-to-gross domestic product ratio. 

Leonard Wantchekon is a tenured professor of political science and economics at Princeton University. In this interview, he shares his expert opinion on how economic and social development can be effectively promoted in poor countries.

Lombard Odier’s Arnaud Leclercq on speculative investing, global economics and what banks need to do to protect their customers

The latest investment strategy bulletin contains our latest analysis on the relationship between the yen and the dollar for the last quarter of 2018. USDJPY has fallen by 5% over the last three months, with most of the move concentrated in December.

Ethical investment, sustainable investment, socially responsible investment and impact investing: this multitude of terms denotes different approaches to a powerful transformation of finance in an effort to shape a more sustainable economy. We will concentrate on the concepts of impact investing and socially responsible investment (SRI), which are both approaches that we use at Lombard Odier.

The latter phase of an expansionary cycle poses specific challenges for investors, who must gear up for lower and more volatile returns across the board. Market corrections can occur without recessions, as valuations adapt to a higher rate environment, but they tend to be short-lived and losses are generally recouped in the following months.

For many High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs) and Ultra HNWIs (UHNWIs), preserving wealth can be much more important than securing sizeable returns. This may seem like a simple ask however, in a sluggish economic environment, preservation can prove rather challenging.

There is little doubt that the US economy ends 2018 with strong cyclical momentum: full-year growth is on track to reach 3% and the jobless rate stands at multi-decade lows. The strength of the labour market is particularly impressive when considering that, despite low unemployment, an average of 210,000 new jobs per month were created this year, for an annual total of some 2.5 million.

Donors play an increasing role in supporting medical innovation. They must continue this commitment to allow many more breakthroughs in cancer research.

The fact that 2018 GDP growth just shy of 2% is considered disappointing says a lot about how far the Eurozone has come since the crisis years. More meaningful perhaps is to look at growth in relative terms: after slightly outpacing the US in 2016 and 2017, the Eurozone is lagging by more than 1% in 2018 – a marked reversal of the differential.

2018 proved particularly challenging for emerging economies. Currency depreciation and nascent domestic price pressures forced a number of central banks to start tightening monetary policy. Political issues will remain key in 2019 for Latin America, notably in Mexico, Brazil and Argentina.

A year from now, Japan will likely be coping with the initial negative shock of Abe’s second consumption tax hike (from 8% to 10%). Given the rough patch that followed the first hike in 2014, most view this event as a hard constraint on policymakers. We beg to disagree. The scale of the hike is smaller this time, and it represents the final leg of Abe’s tax reform.

Our roots are responsible, prudent and philanthropic. As wealth managers, we help philanthropists find the most effective ways to turn their wealth and passion into actions that make the world a better place. Discover our history in philanthropy here.

How is climate change affecting migration? Discover more on central Americans leaving their hometowns to search for a better life without the threat of extreme weather events

After the stellar act of 2017, we did anticipate greater financial market volatility and lower returns this year, just not quite this bad. At the time of writing, global equity, commodity, sovereign and credit indices are all posting negative year-to-date performances in USD terms – despite a pretty solid macro landscape and still strong earnings growth.

What is the sustainability revolution? In short, it is a fundamental shift in perspective and this global shift is transforming our economies and the companies that drive them.

We are convinced that despite the inevitable volatility, there are opportunities for the prudent investor to take advantage of an environment that, overall, remains relatively supportive.

What if we could put a value on nature? Sustainable developments could be a good investment and could be a key driver of returns for investors.

The second week of the Twenty-Fourth Conference of the Parties (COP24) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has brought about a new sense of urgency that something positive be achieved at the talks.

Which forces will drive the global economy and markets in 2019? Our CIO Private Bank Stéphane Monier and Chief Economist Samy Chaar present our latest insights and asset views.

Creating a sustainable tomorrow is in all of our interests– societies, economies and individuals. That's why on 7 December, Geneva brought together academics, thought leaders, investors and policy makers to debate and highlight innovative and leading trends in sustainable finance at the Geneva Summit on Sustainable Finance.

At Lombard Odier, the same principles of investment upon which we were founded have enabled us to thrive for over 220 years. And yet, in a world defined by change, it is vital that we compliment these principles with a capacity to adjust our approach to changing scenarios.

In recent years, sharp focus has been placed on the gender divide across pay, employment status and treatment in the workplace. While there are narrowing gaps between men and women in many areas of work life, there are gaping chasms in others.

The heavily coal-dependent city of Katowice in Poland is the venue for the Twenty-Fourth Conference of the Parties (COP24) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change this week. The 2015 Paris Accord was about pledges on the issue surrounding climate change, and the event's goal is to turn those promises into action. Here is a round up of the events of the first week.

Undervalued emerging market equities are positioned to benefit most from a decline in trade-related risk.

With the advance of technology, will we continue to exist for much longer? Or are we to be replaced by the machines that we are working so hard to create. These grand themes were the subject of this year's TEDxCern event, which took place in Geneva recently.

Interest in philanthropy is growing rapidly among wealthy individuals around the globe, and there are many factors driving this trend. Today, getting involved in projects can be faster, more efficient and more flexible, with philanthropists enjoying greater support in planning and structuring their activities.

It was the Ancient Romans who first discovered the benefits in using poisons to heal rather than harm humans. Some animal venoms can be used to cure diseases, create new drugs and treat chronic conditions. 

Melville in Australia is a city of the elderly. One in every four people is over the age of 60 and it has the second highest level of dementia in Western Australia. By 2020, the older population is expected to rise to 29,400, almost one third of all residents.

Japan’s soon-to-be longest-serving Prime Minister faces a choice between reinforcing ‘Abenomics’ or chancing an historic change to the country’s pacifist constitution. Investors hope he picks the former.

The way in which humanity consumes Earth’s resources has triggered a slow-moving catastrophe. To reverse it, we must act fast. But the problem of resource sustainability is an indicator of two even deeper problems. And while the—often surprising—solutions to these problems are entirely achievable, investors must fulfil a critical role if they’re to be realised in time. Investors who answer the call won’t just change the world for the better. They’ll be the beneficiaries of a truly extraordinary investment opportunity.

Next year, voters in India go to the polls in an election that threatens to undermine Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s majority government. As Modi’s political opponents form alliances, the risk to his reforms and the probability of a spending splurge are on the rise with implications that, we believe, investors need to grasp.

Welcome to My GA^plus, the new generation of customisable, bespoke reporting for our clients who have signed a Global Assets+ service agreement with Lombard Odier.

A combination of adverse factors placed oil in a perfect storm… but prices should find some automatic buffers.

Meet the African tech hub tapping into blockchain's potential. In the heart of Africa's Silicon Savannah is a bitcoin and blockchain technology accelerator that's making waves across the continent. 

At Lombard Odier, we believe sustainability will be the single biggest driver of returns. We integrate sustainability into our investment strategies.

“An essential tool for people who want to play a part in fighting cancer”

Europe’s macro-economic indicators point to growth and falling unemployment, but there are political problems to take into account.

When a business has thrived through more than 200 tumultuous years, it is worth identifying the central philosophy at the heart of that resilient success. For Geneva-based private bank, Lombard Odier, it boils down to a straightforward mantra: rethink everything.

The oldest members of the Millennial generation are approaching 40. By 2020, they will be the largest segment of the adult population and as they replace Baby Boomers in the workplace, they will dominate spending for the coming decades.

Equity markets suffered a rough October and investors are now crunching through an earnings season trying to make sense of the outlook for 2019. Faced with the uncertainties of next year, shareholders are punishing firms unless they beat analysts’ revenue estimates and profit expectations while providing upbeat outlooks.

Dollar strength this year is the main market-chatter amongst FX investors these days. However, this needs to be put in the right context: the currency went through waves of depreciation and appreciation during 2018, with the net gain now a 4.5%.

Can you compare oil and data? It's true both are profitable but complicated commodities. And once oil has spilled, it cannot be put back into the barrel... and the same thing could be said of data.

Lombard Odier wins industry awards for brand campaign and for commitment to client service in Europe

Our Chief Investment Officer Private Bank Stéphane Monier and Chief Economist Samy Chaar discuss what a divided Congress means for the US economy, policymaking and financial assets.

Lombard Odier are thrilled to be awarded the "Best Overall GCC Private Bank," and "Best UAE Private Bank (International)"

Family businesses should better harness generational diversity, overcome entrenchment and engage external sources of talent and capital to sustain growth between generations

The problems of climate change and pollution seem to be growing increasingly urgent every day. Pressure is mounting on companies in the most exposed sectors, with environmental NGOs, states and investors in particular bringing their voices to bear. We seem to have passed the denial phase of climate change now, and people’s awareness is growing worldwide. The ultimate challenge remains: ordinary citizens, companies and the world of finance need to learn to act sustainably.