SWIP deal: Where would Aberdeen rank among the global giants?

Aberdeen Asset Management has confirmed rumours it is in talks to buy Scottish Widows Investment Partnership (SWIP) in a deal which would make it the largest listed fund management firm in Europe.

Fitch Ratings said in a note the move would be "transformational" for Aberdeen, rebalancing its assex mix away from a dependence on global, emerging market and Asian equities, and bolstering its fixed income and UK equities offerings. "This more balanced asset mix, coupled with more stable AUM from SWIP's exposure to in-house entities of its parent, Lloyds Banking Group, should ultimately translate into greater earnings stability," the ratings agency said. Should the sale go ahead, the combined assets of the two firms would total around £350bn, according to Bloomberg, nearly doubling ...