Investment Industry global trends (2006)

Below is a list of possible trends that may affect the investment industry in the near future.

• Creation of a single set of global accounting standards
• Increased globalization and integration of markets
• Greater emphasis on risk management
• Increased popularity and growth of alternative investments
• Incursion of alternative investments into traditional asset classes
• Development of new, more creative and perhaps more complex financial products
• More focus on the risk/return value package
• More regulation/regulatory reform to protect the consumer and restore investor confidence
• Greater attention to corporate governance, due diligence, and fiduciary responsibility
• Greater attention to, and pressure to reduce, costs
• Greater emphasis on alpha