News - Page 23 - Mapfre AM

The real estate sector is weak but a long way from what we saw in the financial crisis

Home sales and mortgage closings have fallen sharply in recent months. Alberto Matellán, chief economist at MAPFRE Inversión, explains that despite the problems in the real estate sector, the situation is nothing like what we saw in 2007 and 2008.

Interest rates aren’t being efficient due to low debt levels

Interest rates are not managing to reduce inflation efficiently due to the low level of household and enterprise indebtedness. Javier de Berenguer, investment manager and fund selector at MAPFRE Gestión Patrimonial, believes that the key lies in the liquidity of the system.

Transition risk: what is it and how does MAPFRE AM manage it?

Climate risk has gained importance in recent years. Transition risk are also a part of them, in a less obvious way than physical risks.

Latin America: challenges and obstacles to stabilizing prices and promoting growth potential

Latin America is facing a critical challenge: achieving price stability while driving growth in the region. Gonzalo de Cadenas Santiago, director of Macroeconomics and Financial Analysis at MAPFRE Economics, explains the key aspects of this balancing act.

“The Spanish banking system is among the best in Europe in terms of efficiency”

As part of the “MAPFRE AM Interview of the Month” section, we talk to María Torres de Becerril, MAPFRE AM’s equity investment manager, who believes that this new cycle “clearly opens up opportunities in the stock market."

The relationship between interest rate hikes and inflation is not always direct

Despite the rate hikes implemented by the central banks, inflation is still at uncomfortable levels. Alberto Matellán, chief economist at MAPFRE Inversión, recalls that the relationship between interest rates and inflation "isn't as direct as we would like to think."

MAPFRE launches a biomethane fund. What makes it an article 9 fund?

MAPFRE launched MAPFRE Energías Renovables II, FCR in collaboration with is partners Abante and IAM Carbonzero. This new vehicle will invest in biomethane, a 100% green biofuel obtained from animal and vegetable waste that can be injected directly into the natural gas grid, generate electricity via engines, and be used as a fuel.

Sustainable investment: “We need more clarity from regulators”

ESG investing is one of the great megatrends of recent years. At the annual Insurance Asset Risk 2023 conference in London recently, José Luis Jiménez, group chief investment officer at MAPFRE, pointed out that the industry needs more certainty from regulators.

Is it too early for a pause in US rate hikes?

The Fed decided at its June meeting to keep interest rates in the 5.00%-5.25% range, but the inflation data "denote insufficient progress to sustain this pause," according to MAPFRE Economics.