logo
Allianz Profit Rises to Record as Pimco Adds €26 Billion Inflows

Allianz Profit Rises to Record as Pimco Adds €26 Billion Inflows

Bloomberg15-05-2025

Allianz SE, the German owner of bond firm Pacific Investment Management Co., saw first-quarter profit rise to a record on higher income from its insurance business and inflows in asset management.
Group operating profit increased 6.3% to €4.24 billion ($4.75 billion), in line with analysts estimates, Allianz said Thursday. Pimco's third-party clients added €26.2 billion in the three months through March, marking the fifth consecutive quarter of inflows.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky says his company is a 'convenient scapegoat' as European cities protest overtourism
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky says his company is a 'convenient scapegoat' as European cities protest overtourism

Business Insider

timea day ago

  • Business Insider

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky says his company is a 'convenient scapegoat' as European cities protest overtourism

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said his company isn't to blame for overtourism in certain European cities. Rather, Chesky said overtourism is due to poor policy and long-standing housing issues. Anti-overtourism activists plan to protest in cities like Barcelona and Venice on Sunday. Overtourism is rattling cities across Europe, where some activists blame short-term rental companies like Airbnb for swelling the cost of living and limiting housing options for locals. Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky disagrees. Chesky addressed the criticisms during an interview with Dagmar Von Taube of WELT, a German newspaper that is part of the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network, saying, "I've heard the criticisms — and I have responses." The tech billionaire mentioned Barcelona, where activists protested overtourism in 2024 and are planning further protests on Sunday. "In Barcelona, housing prices rose 60% over the past decade, but Airbnb listings actually decreased. So we can't be the culprits. Sure, people see a lot of tourists, but many of them are cruise ship passengers or hotel guests — in Barcelona, that's around 70%," Chesky said. Airbnb has become a "convenient scapegoat for a failed policy and deep, long-standing housing issues," he said. "Cities haven't built enough new homes to match urban growth. That's the real crisis," Chesky said. "But we're committed to working with cities. We support modern, targeted regulations that protect housing without blocking hosts from occasionally sharing their homes." Chesky's remarks came after Airbnb blamed hotels for the problem this week. In a new report, Airbnb said hotels make up "almost 80% of guest nights in the EU." Theo Yedinsky, Airbnb's vice president for public policy, echoed Chesky's "scapegoat" remark in an interview with The Financial Times published this week. That garnered a response from Tui, Europe's biggest travel operator, which pushed back against Airbnb's suggestion that it's not getting a fair shake on Friday. "The reason protesters hit the streets is because of issues with the cost of living and especially housing. Both are driven by the secondary home market and short-term leases," Alexander Panczuk, group director of policy and reputation at Tui," told The Guardian. "All the destinations where we have seen the conflict of tourists and living spaces in the last few years are not where [operators like] Tui are active." Representatives for Airbnb did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. Although tourism can boost economies, those grappling with overtourism say the influx of travelers in their cities has caused the cost of living to spike, contributed to housing crises, and encouraged overcrowding. Last July, protesters took to the streets of Barcelona holding signs that read "Barcelona is not for sale" and "Tourists go home." Some even sprayed people visiting popular tourist spots with water guns. That June, the city announced its intention to ban all short-term rentals. Activists have also staged demonstrations in Italy, Mallorca, and other popular destinations. Widespread protests are scheduled for Sunday in cities across Spain, Portugal, and Italy. "When they (officials) say that we have to specialise in tourism, they are basically telling us that you have to get poorer so that other people can get richer," Daniel Pardo Rivacoba, a spokesperson for Barcelona's Neighbourhoods Assembly for Tourism Degrowth, told the outlet.

Florian Wirtz: An Era-Defining Deal for Liverpool
Florian Wirtz: An Era-Defining Deal for Liverpool

Yahoo

timea day ago

  • Yahoo

Florian Wirtz: An Era-Defining Deal for Liverpool

Florian Wirtz to Liverpool: A Move of Purpose, Not Panic This is an abridged version; the full article is available on our 'It Was Always… Liverpool' Substack page: Smart Recruitment in a Noisy Market In an era when transfer windows are often defined by noise and spectacle, Liverpool have opted for precision. Their move for Florian Wirtz, reportedly worth up to €136.3 million, is not a gamble dressed up as ambition. It is a carefully calculated investment in a player who fits their evolving identity. At 22, Wirtz is already one of Europe's most complete attacking midfielders. He chose Liverpool over Bayern Munich and Manchester City not because they paid more, but because they offered something rare: clarity. Why Wirtz Said Yes to Anfield Bayern promised comfort. City offered glamour and a post-De Bruyne spotlight. But both came with uncertainty. Wirtz wanted more than prestige. He wanted a defined role, a club with a plan and a manager who spoke plainly. Arne Slot did not sell dreams. He outlined responsibilities. Wirtz was told he would be central, not just creatively but structurally. In return, the German turned down easier paths for the chance to shape something new. Built for Purpose, Not Headlines Wirtz is not a flair-first luxury signing. He ranks in the 99th percentile for expected assists, through balls and successful dribbles. His pass completion under pressure is 88.8 percent, second only to Phil Foden. He also recovered the ball 35 times in the final third last season, a sign of work rate to match his talent. This is a player who plays through pressure rather than around it. He wants the ball when the game is tight and does something with it when others hesitate. What This Means for Slot's Liverpool Wirtz fits into Liverpool's reshaped left-sided attack, likely linking with new left-back Milos Kerkez and old Leverkusen teammate Jeremie Frimpong. He drifts into tight half-spaces, connects midfield to final third and offers balance to a right side still anchored by Salah. Slot will use him as a pivot point, a pressure breaker, and a system driver. This move is less about replacing anyone and more about defining a new era. Liverpool did not just buy talent. They secured intent.

BioNTech buys mRNA, courtroom rival CureVac in all-stock deal
BioNTech buys mRNA, courtroom rival CureVac in all-stock deal

Yahoo

time2 days ago

  • Yahoo

BioNTech buys mRNA, courtroom rival CureVac in all-stock deal

This story was originally published on BioPharma Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily BioPharma Dive newsletter. COVID vaccine maker BioNTech is buying rival CureVac, announcing Thursday an all-stock deal weeks before the two companies were due to face off in a German court over potentially billions of dollars worth of royalties related to intellectual property on messenger RNA drugs. Per deal terms, each CureVac share will be exchanged for about $5.46 worth of BioNTech's U.S.-listed shares, valuing the company at $1.25 billion. Upon the deal's close, CureVac shareholders will own between 4% and 6% of BioNTech. In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, BioNTech and CureVac were among the companies racing to develop the first coronavirus vaccines. BioNTech, however, partnered with Pfizer and won approval of the first COVID-19 shot, while CureVac's program never made it to market. The two companies have since been embroiled in patent litigation. CureVac was a leading candidate to develop the first COVID-19 vaccine, launching rumors, later denied, that the U.S. government might even buy the company or its research. But while BioNTech and fellow mRNA drugmaker Moderna succeeded in making vaccines that saved millions of lives and earned billions of dollars in revenue, CureVac fell short. Its initial project wasn't effective enough at preventing sickness, prompting it to scrap development. A year later, CureVac sued BioNTech, claiming it infringed four patents. CureVac has since changed course, selling off most rights to influenza and COVID-19 vaccines to partner GSK and focusing on cancer instead. But its legal spat with BioNTech has lingered. The European Patent Office had upheld two CureVac patents, and a trial in a Dusseldorf regional court was set on July 1 to determine if BioNTech had infringed on them. A separate trial in the U.S. was scheduled to begin Sept. 8 in Virginia. Some Wall Street analysts, as a result, speculated that BioNTech's primary purpose is buying CureVac is to sidestep the risk of a loss in court. A single-digit percentage royalty awarded to CureVac could've cost BioNTech as much as $3 billion, Evercore ISI analyst Umer Raffat wrote in a note to clients. 'It seems to us that [BioNTech] assessed the cost of a cash settlement as substantially greater than the cost of buying [CureVac] outright,' Raffat wrote. The deal could also help BioNTech further its oncology ambitions. Like CureVac, BioNTech has made cancer research a top priority. It's invested in a variety of programs, from cell therapies to mRNA vaccines and a coveted type of bispecific antibody. Some are in advanced testing. CureVac's cancer vaccines are in earlier phases of development. A brain cancer shot has delivered early clinical data, while a lung cancer immunotherapy was cleared in April for human testing. The deal should help CureVac because of 'the early stage of the oncology pipeline and the need for a development partner to effectively compete in personalized cancer vaccines – which [BioNTech] is well positioned to execute,' wrote Leerink Partners analyst Mani Foroohar. Raffat, of Evercore ISI, however, wrote that the deal ascribes 'very little value' to CureVac's pipeline. Recommended Reading Recursion to acquire two Canadian drug discovery startups Sign in to access your portfolio

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store