Wall Street Bets on Foreign Banks as Gold Soars in September

- Investors shift focus to European banks and Canadian gold miners amid market volatility. - Lazard’s $422 million International Dynamic Equity ETF highlights the pivot with strategic asset allocations. On August 31, 2025, Cryptopolitan reported that Wall Street investors are retreating from U.S. equities and repositioning their portfolios toward European financial stocks and Canadian gold miners, driven by expectations of September's historically weak market performance. Lazard Asset Management’s $422 million International Dynamic Equity ETF exemplifies this trend, as the fund maintains significant portfolio exposure to European banks and gold mining firms. The financial services sector makes up over 25% of the ETF’s holdings, and the portfolio prominently features European powerhouses like BNP Paribas, Barclays, and Societe Generale. Societe Generale has led the pack with a staggering 116.42% year-to-date return, while BNP Paribas logged a 28.54% price increase for 2025 as of late August. On August 31, Cryptopolitan reported a 34% rise in Barclays shares this year. However, publicly available figures have not entirely confirmed this number, although the stock’s trajectory remains upward. Gold assets also play a crucial role in this strategy, reflecting growing macroeconomic concerns. Canadian gold miners, in particular, have experienced significant gains; for example, Barrick Gold has delivered a 71.41% year-to-date return, and over the same period, Kinross Gold has soared 98.65%. These allocations emphasize diversification into traditionally stable asset classes to safeguard against potential market turbulence. This pivot aligns with broader trends favoring European financials, which have outperformed their U.S. and Asian competitors in 2025. By contrast, other industries like media are struggling. For example, advertising giant WPP adjusted its full-year guidance downward after its shares declined this year. However, a report from Cryptopolitan on August 31 regarding an 8% drop in the broader media sector over the past two months remains unverified. Lazard’s ETF also adapts to evolving market dynamics through strategic repositioning, appearing to shift its focus away from U.S.-based software names, potentially in response to the rapid evolution of AI technologies. While public records do not definitively confirm any divestments in firms like AppLovin, Gartner, or Cadence Design Systems, Lazard seems to be leaning toward hardware and infrastructure companies that underpin AI growth, signaling a recalibrated investment thesis.