de

    white papers

    Are you leaving town?

    Are you leaving town?
    Henk Grootveld - Head of Trends Investing

    Henk Grootveld

    Head of Trends Investing

    Pandemics have always had a profound effect on human history, and especially on cities. Although the current COVID-19 virus has not caused the percentages of casualties we have seen in history, and hopefully it never will, we still believe that this pandemic will bring about profound changes in our society.

    We expect the COVID-virus will mark the end of urbanisation and, for now, will stop mankind’s march into cities, which has been on going ever since the industrial revolution. While the pandemic stands to exacerbate de-urbanisation, it is important to note it is not the only force powering this trend. As we will discuss in this paper, a combination of digitisation, an ageing society and virus fears are all steadily impacting the appeal and prioritisation of city living and we believe that 2020 will mark the peak in urbanisation.

    Viruses are just like most people in their clear preference for the city life. The current pandemic originated in Wuhan, China, a city of 11 million people. Proximity and poverty, both very much linked to the city life, are the two factors that statistically increase the likelihood the most of getting infected with COVID-19. During the first wave of the virus, most Western cities saw their population decline, not only due to increasing deaths but mostly due to fleeing citizens. It is estimated that 10% of the population of cities like New York and Paris left during the first wave

    It is estimated that 10% of the population of cities like New York and Paris left during the first wave

    The commonality we see in many major cities is that the wealthy citizens are the first to leave. The effect of wealth leaving the cities could be long lasting, as they are often the ones filling the restaurants and keeping luxury shops and boutiques afloat. We expect the retirees to be next category to flee to suburban and rural areas, if they have not done so already. Their motivation will more driven by virus fears, avoiding crowds and increasing crime rates. Depending on how successful the work at home movement becomes after the pandemic, the millennials with young children will be the next category on the list. In some cities this trend was already underway and just got a major push by the pandemic.

    The implications for big cities are immense. If proximity to one’s job is no longer a significant factor in deciding where to live, then the appeal of the suburbs wanes. We expect new villages closer to or surrounded with nature to rise in prominence, while traditional commuter belts and city centers to fade away. For investors there are some clear angles for growth which will arise from this trend, which we will explore in this paper in more detail.

     

    Wichtige Hinweise.

    This document has been issued by Lombard Odier Funds (Europe) S.A. a Luxembourg based public limited company (SA), having its registered office at 291, route d’Arlon, 1150 Luxembourg, authorised and regulated by the CSSF as a Management Company within the meaning of EU Directive 2009/65/EC, as amended; and within the meaning of the EU Directive 2011/61/EU on Alternative Investment Fund Managers (AIFMD). The purpose of the Management Company is the creation, promotion, administration, management and the marketing of Luxembourg and foreign UCITS, alternative investment funds ("AIFs") and other regulated funds, collective investment vehicles or other investment vehicles, as well as the offering of portfolio management and investment advisory services.
    Lombard Odier Investment Managers (“LOIM”) is a trade name.
    This document is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer or a recommendation to purchase or sell any security or service. It is not intended for distribution, publication, or use in any jurisdiction where such distribution, publication, or use would be unlawful. This material does not contain personalized recommendations or advice and is not intended to substitute any professional advice on investment in financial products. Before entering into any transaction, an investor should consider carefully the suitability of a transaction to his/her particular circumstances and, where necessary, obtain independent professional advice in respect of risks, as well as any legal, regulatory, credit, tax, and accounting consequences. This document is the property of LOIM and is addressed to its recipient exclusively for their personal use. It may not be reproduced (in whole or in part), transmitted, modified, or used for any other purpose without the prior written permission of LOIM. This material contains the opinions of LOIM, as at the date of issue.
    Neither this document  nor any copy thereof may be sent, taken into, or distributed in the United States of America, any of its territories or possessions or areas subject to its jurisdiction, or to or for the benefit of a United States Person. For this purpose, the term "United States Person" shall mean any citizen, national or resident of the United States of America, partnership organized or existing in any state, territory or possession of the United States of America, a corporation organized under the laws of the United States or of any state, territory or possession thereof, or any estate or trust that is subject to United States Federal income tax regardless of the source of its income.
    Source of the figures: Unless otherwise stated, figures are prepared by LOIM.
    Although certain information has been obtained from public sources believed to be reliable, without independent verification, we cannot guarantee its accuracy or the completeness of all information available from public sources.
    Views and opinions expressed are for informational purposes only and do not constitute a recommendation by LOIM to buy, sell or hold any security. Views and opinions are current as of the date of this presentation and may be subject to change. They should not be construed as investment advice.
    No part of this material may be (i) copied, photocopied or duplicated in any form, by any means, or (ii) distributed to any person that is not an employee, officer, director, or authorised agent of the recipient, without Lombard Odier Funds (Europe) S.A prior consent. ©2020 Lombard Odier IM. All rights reserved.
     

     

     

    Whitepaper - Leaving Town

    Download

    Zugehörige News.

    Fondsinformationen.