The latest news in investment offerings, financial products and other services relevant to wealth advisors and their clients.

Franklin Templeton
California-based investment manager Franklin Templeton is partnering with three institutional infrastructure investment firms to build private infrastructure solutions for individual investors. The partners are Actis, a sustainable infrastructure business of General Atlantic, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, and DigitalBridge.

The partnership aims to provide private wealth clients with access to high-growth infrastructure opportunities, thematically-focused on energy security, electrification, and digitalisation, as well as sectors including data centres and hyperscaler development, renewable energy, fibre and towers, and digital power, Franklin Templeton said in a statement this week.

“The trends shaping the private markets present an opportunity to broaden access to capital and advance the availability of investments in energy security, electrification, and digitalisation, and this is a unique opportunity for investors to unlock that potential,” Jenny Johnson, president and CEO, Franklin Templerton, said.

By 2040, global infrastructure needs are expected to surpass $94 trillion, representing an estimated $15 trillion capital opportunity for private investors. 

“Digital infrastructure is a core driver of the global economy, and private wealth investors are increasingly seeking access to opportunities that have traditionally been reserved for institutions,” Marc Ganzi, CEO of DigitalBridge, said. “Partnering with a global distribution leader like Franklin Templeton allows us to broaden access to this asset class at a pivotal moment, as artificial intelligence, electrification, and next-generation connectivity accelerate demand for digital and energy infrastructure. By combining our sector expertise with Franklin Templeton’s reach in private wealth, we are creating a platform designed to deliver institutional-quality opportunities to a broader set of investors.”

Vanguard
Pennsylvania-based Vanguard has launched the Vanguard Global Government Bond Index Fund. The fund is the seventh fixed income fund launched by Vanguard in Europe this year. It aims to serve as an additional core building block for investors’ portfolios. The fund runs alongside the Vanguard Global Government Bond UCITS ETF, providing investors with a choice of investment wrapper.

"When it comes to fixed income it can be tempting for investors to invest locally. However, underscored by recent market events, the added breadth of a global allocation can help diversify risk,” Mark Fitzgerald, head of product specialism at Vanguard Europe, said. “By adding a global government bond fund, investors gain exposure to more securities, different inflation and economic environments, as well as different business cycles from a wider range of markets.”

The fund, which aims to track the Bloomberg Global Treasury Developed Countries Float Adjusted Index, is hedged to reduce currency risk.

The new fund will be managed by Vanguard’s fixed income group, which manages more than $2.6 trillion in assets across the globe.

PGIM, Partners Group 
PGIM, the $1.44 trillion global investment management business of New York-listed Prudential Financial, and Partners Group, the Swiss-listed private markets group, have partnered to construct and deliver multi-asset portfolio solutions for individual and institutional investors.

The pact blends PGIM’s expertise in public and private asset classes and its role as a large investor in property, with Partners Group’s work in private equity and infrastructure investment.

“Given our unique position as an insurance-backed asset manager and one of the top global asset managers for defined contribution plans, we are well suited to provide solutions that are differentiated and scalable across various client segments,” Stuart Parker, head of global wealth at PGIM, said.