Does recent spate of acquisitions herald long awaited industry consolidation?

We appear to be in the midst of a summer of acquisition, with DWS/Aberdeen and now Axa's purchase of...

We appear to be in the midst of a summer of acquisition, with DWS/Aberdeen and now Axa's purchase of Framlington. Is this finally the start of the long talked about and much needed consolidation in the funds industry? At first glance, the answer appears to be a resounding no. After all, Axa intends to run Framlington as a separate brand with little or no integration of the portfolios. Meanwhile, Aberdeen remains tightlipped about what it intends to do with several of the DWS funds, although following previous sales of its funds to New Star, there is only limited crossover between the t...