This week’s investment roundup highlighted three interlinked themes: a resurgence in unemployment, accelerating consolidation among asset‑management firms, and a surge in semi‑liquid fund inflows. Unemployment edged to 5.2% in Q4 2025, prompting managers to boost cash buffers and reassess risk models. Meanwhile, three major players announced a merger, pushing industry concentration to its highest level in a decade. Semi‑liquid vehicles captured roughly $12 billion of new capital, underscoring investor appetite for flexible, higher‑yielding alternatives.

Franklin Global Trust and Invesco Global Equity Income Trust are nearing completion of a merger after the first of two required shareholder votes was approved. The combined entity will pool assets, creating a larger investment trust with expanded global equity...

ARK Invest Europe’s Rahul Bhushan announced that the defence sector has been elevated to a core‑allocation status within the firm’s European thematic funds. The upgrade follows a surge in investor interest, with total European thematic ETF net inflows reaching $15.8 bn...

Franklin Global Trust (FRGT) and Invesco Global Equity Income Trust (IGET) are closing in on the completion of a merger after the first of two shareholder votes succeeded. The merger, announced earlier, is expected to combine the two trusts' assets...
EdenTree Investment Management has rebranded a large portion of its fund lineup to reflect the completion of Sustainable Development Reporting (SDR) labelling across the entire range. The renaming aligns each strategy’s name with its ESG focus, making sustainability credentials more...

Fintech trading and betting platform iFOREX announced it will float on the London Stock Exchange by the end of February 2026, after an eight‑month delay. The notice was released on 17 February, confirming the upcoming IPO.
Saba has announced a third round of financing, bringing in investor EWI and suggesting changes to its board composition. The new capital is expected to support the company's growth initiatives.