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Weekly Impact Investment Market Update: January 04, 2019

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Impact Investing & ESG
 

How Green Wall Street Can Weather 2019
The New Year promises serious challenges for the rapidly growing number of socially conscious investors.

Sustainable Investment in Asia: Ready to Take Off
Broader adoption of ESG investing is now accelerating in Asia. In particular, we’re seeing a greater push by leading institutions or governments in embracing ESG.

Impact Investing, Just a Trend or the Best Strategy to Help Save Our World?
Impact investment is capturing the growing attention of mainstream investors, and everyone is increasingly hearing and talking about it.

Impact Investing: The Mindless Mantra – ‘Doing Well by Doing Good’
To bring about fundamental change and to find long-lasting solutions, isn’t always pretty and it is certainly not always a win-win in the financial sense.

Want to Discuss Gender Lens Investing? #MeToo
Increasingly discussed in asset management firms and the financial press alike, gender lens investing is one of the most rapidly growing segments of sustainable investing. Specifically, gender lens investing in an investment thesis that seeks to turn the abstract idea of an investment’s benefit to women into a functional investment strategy.

 

United States & Europe
 

U.S. Economy Added 312,000 Jobs in December and Wage Growth Gained Steam, Marking a Strong Finish to 2018
The U.S. economy added 312,000 jobs in December, smashing expectations for year-end growth, and wages rose 3.2 percent in the year since December 2017 after nearly a decade of tepid improvements, federal economists reported Friday.

 

Developing Economies
 

Why Kenya’s Economic Prospects Look Promising
The year 2018 marked a turning point in Kenya’s economic growth. Projections suggest growth will be on an upward trend till 2022.

Southeast Asia is the Best Market for Fintech
Fintech investments in ASEAN countries in 2018 will exceed the $5.7 billion invested in 2017 by 20% to 30%, according to the report, which surveyed more than 60 private fintech firms. Online lenders and fintechs that facilitate access to credit are identified by the report as the most promising areas.

China’s Growth to Shape Asia’s Economy in 2019
The current slowdown in the Chinese economy, the world’s second-largest, is likely to define the 2019 economic outlook in Asia. After years of expansion, the Chinese economy is showing signs of waning. It is anticipated that growth in 2018 will be the weakest seen since 1990.

Weekly Impact Investing Market Update: December 28, 2018

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Impact Investing & ESG
 

The Year in Impact Enterprise and Investing
As the year draws to a close, let’s pause to consider what took place in the world of social enterprise and impact investing. Here are five noteworthy happenings.

Broadening the Meaning of Gender-Lens Investing
Demand for “gender-lens investing” strategies has boomed as investors seek to put capital to work in companies that address gender equality in the workplace.

New York City Will Invest a Portion of Its Pension Fund in Climate Solutions
New York City teachers, firefighters, and sanitation workers are investing in a healthier climate – through their pensions. In September, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that two percent of the city’s pension fund – that’s about four billion dollars – will be invested in companies working on renewable energy, energy efficiency, and other climate solutions.

CalPERS Engages Private Prison Companies
The chairman of the investment committee of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) says investment officials are engaging management of two private prison companies, CoreCivic and The GEO Group, as well as defense contractor General Dynamics.

Five Themes Expected to Impact Investing in Early 2019
This year has been dominated by geopolitical waves of market uncertainty, protectionism and trade wars.

 

United States & Europe
 

The Year in Emerging Europe
Here is the year in review for all countries in the Emerging Europe region.

 

Developing Economies
 

Vietnam Unseats Singapore as Largest IPO Fundraiser in Southeast Asia
Vietnam leaped to the top of Southeast Asia’s IPO ranking with five IPOs raising $2.6 billion, consultancy EY said.

Argentina to Lead Emerging-Market Rebound in 2019, Says Templeton Bond Head
An emerging-market money manager known for making contrarian bets says Argentina, home to the world’s worst-performing currency this year, looks primed to lead a developing-nation rebound in early 2019.

Brazilians Have Never Been so Sanguine About Economy, Poll Shows
Brazilians’ optimism about the economy has soared to a record high as President-elect Jair Bolsonaro prepares to take office on Jan. 1, according to a Datafolha poll published on Sunday.

Weekly Impact Investment Market Update: December 14, 2018

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Impact Investing & ESG
 

How Socially Responsible Stocks Could Protect Investors in a Bear Market
So-called ESG equity strategies—buying the stocks of companies that perform well on environmental, social-responsibility and governance metrics—can help you align your portfolio with your ethical values. But can they also help you ride out a down market, or even a bear market, with fewer losses? It seems 2019 may be the year that investors find out.

‘Investing for Good’ Meets the Law
By law, a trustee must abide by fiduciary duties of loyalty and prudence, and therefore act for the “exclusive” benefit of the beneficiaries, considering “solely” their interests, without regard for collateral benefits, such as advancing social or environmental causes.

Creating an On-Ramp for Impact Investors: An Interview with the GIIN’s Amit Bouri
Started in 2009, the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) conducts research on impact investment, runs training programs for investors and fund managers, organizes industry events and builds tools and resources for impact measurement.

IPE Conference: Quantitative vs Qualitative in Impact Investing
Being able to convey the social or environmental impacts of investments in numbers is not the be-all and end-all of impact investing, asset owners told IPE’s annual conference last week.

How Impact Investing Could Move from the Margins to Mainstream
The amount of money that goes towards impact investing globally is far short of what is needed to meet the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Charitable institutions, donors, foundations and NGOs have long been the chief champions of impact investing, and the best bet is for the private sector to address the funding gap, experts say.

Impact Investing Could Accelerate the Fight Against Cancer
A new generation of philanthropists, whose wealth was created via entrepreneurship in technology-driven fields, has the unique opportunity to make a real difference in speeding the pace of progress in the fight against cancer.

10 Key Alpha Drivers in Impact Investing
Yes, impact investing does boost financial returns, but does more, according to the latest study confirming this finding, which also zeroed in on 10 “unique drivers” that “can enhance or add financial value” for investors.

 

Developing Economies
 

Outlook 2019: Emerging Markets are Better than the U.S. if Dollar Cooperates
It’s already happening. Don’t let the recent sell-off scare you: The smart money is moving out of the U.S. and going abroad. The risk-off cash position is due to the Fed. The rest is a symptom of a red-hot U.S. stock market that got too expensive for its own good, and right at a time when interest rates are rising and tight labor markets have peaked.

Deals, Dollars and Development on the African Continent
The first-ever Africa Investment Forum was a resounding success with some fascinating math: 49 projects worth $38.7 billion over three days, all for the continent.

A Southeast Asian Currency is Set to Top 2018’s Emerging-Market List
Having a strong buffer in times of stress does pay off. Just look at the baht. The Thai currency has declined 0.3 percent to 32.672 against the dollar this year as of 1:11 p.m. in Bangkok, the best performance among 22 major developing-economy currencies tracked by Bloomberg.

From Politics to Policies: A Guide to Latin America Markets in 2019
Latin America’s two largest markets will start 2019 in the hands of new populist presidents who are pledging to overturn decades of consensus policies in an effort to revitalize growth and boost investor confidence.

Latin American Markets Look Promising in 2019 and Beyond
2019 is likely to be a year of volatility in Latin America, but markets look promising for long-term investors. Given banks’ and other financial institutions’ significant exposure to Latin America, analysts and investors will have to be very attentive to external and domestic factors that will influence the performance of Latin American bonds, equities and foreign exchange markets.

Brazil’s 2019 Earnings Growth May Top Emerging-Market Peers
Brazil’s Ibovespa index has advanced over 15 percent so far this year, one of the best performers among main global benchmarks, as corporate results shined amid record low interest rates and subdued inflation. In the third quarter, earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization grew 27 percent for Ibovespa listed companies, according to Banco Santander Brasil SA.

Weekly Impact Investment Market Update: December 7, 2018

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Impact Investing & ESG

Advisory Intelligence: The Importance of the ‘S’ in ESG
Though when ESG is split into its component parts: the ‘E’ – the environment has dominated the narrative, with the ‘G’ – governance – being the bread and butter issue companies must be seen to be dealing with effectively, while the social aspect, making up the ‘S’ has been left behind.

CalPERS Make ESG Changes
CalPERS officials hope ESG revisions will add alpha to the pension system’s $178.6 billion global equity portfolio.

FTSE Russell, Sustainalytics to Develop ESG Indexes
FTSE Russell and ESG research firm Sustainalytics are working together to develop ESG indexes. Through this partnership, investors will have environmental, social and governance-factor versions of the core Russell 1000, 2000 and 3000 family of U.S. indexes, using Sustainalytics’ ESG Risk Ratings tools, said Tony Campos, FTSE Russell director of North America ESG, in a phone interview.

ESG Can and Should be a Key Part of Credit Investing
ESG investing is rapidly growing in popularity as an investment theme around the world, and this couldn’t be truer than in Asia. ESG integration is a key component of fundamental research and is a theme that now features heavily across the spectrum of investment products.

UBS Global Wealth Management Will Give ESG Scores to Funds
UBS Global Wealth Management will score the environmental, social and governance strategies of investment funds available to its advisers and clients starting next year.

 

United States & Europe

U.S. Unemployment Holds at 3.7 Percent as Economy Adds 155,000 Jobs
The jobless rate remained at a nearly 50-year low of 3.7 percent in November as employers added 155,000 jobs, fewer than in October and less than expected by private analysts.

EU Reaches Limited Agreement to Bolster Economic and Monetary Union
EU finance ministers concluded a deal on Tuesday (4 December) to bolster the region with new tools to save ailing banks and member states but postponed Europe-wide instruments to protect depositors or stabilize national economies.

 

Developing Economies

Trade Truce Offers Dose of Cheer for Emerging-Market Investors
A temporary truce from a highly anticipated dinner between U.S. and Chinese leaders may give emerging-market traders a reason to cheer Monday, though it didn’t dispel the uncertainty that their dispute has inflicted on markets through much of the year.

AEC 2018 – Africa’s Private Sector can be Major Driver for Regional Integration
Africa’s growing and vibrant private sector can be a major driver of the regional integration across the continent, according to leading experts at the ongoing African Economic Conference (AEC) 2018.

Rwanda the Emerging Economy to Watch
In recent years, at business summits across the world, it’s not uncommon to hear such praise about Rwanda. Various speakers have singled it out as one of the emerging economies to look out for in terms of investment opportunities, value for money and economic growth.

South Africa’s Economy Out of Recession as GDP Expands 2.2% in Q3
South Africa’s economy grew more than expected in the third quarter as manufacturing and agriculture accelerated to drag the country of its first recession in nearly a decade, data showed Tuesday.

Shenzhen and Jakarta Shine in City Economy Forecasts for 2030
U.S. cities have a firm grip on the ranking of the biggest urban economies on either side of the Pacific, but a power shift lies ahead within Asia, new data from the Japan Center for Economic Research shows.

Brazil Economy Bounces Back in Third Quarter
Brazil’s economy grew at its fastest pace in 18 months during the third quarter as the country bounced back from a crippling trucker strike and providing a fillip to the incoming government of Jair Bolsonaro.

Weekly Impact Investment Market Update: November 21, 2018

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Impact Investing & ESG
 

Your Money – Is Impact Investing Too Good to be True?
There is more to socially responsible investing than just avoiding stocks that are against your principles, whether it be guns or tobacco or bad environmental practices.

Big Issue Works with Fund Managers on Impact Investing Push
Standard Life Aberdeen, Columbia Threadneedle and AllianceBernstein have teamed up with the Big Issue, the magazine sold by homeless people, to create a blockchain-powered platform that offers impact funds to retail investors.

Are ESG Ratings the New Credit Rating for Stock Prices?
A new MSCI study of ESG ratings finds they have a similar impact on share prices as do credit ratings.

Female Advisers More Likely to Consider ESG Investing Strategies
A recent study conducted by InvestmentNews Research and sponsored by Calvert Research and Management measured financial advisers’ perceptions of environmental, social and corporate governance investing.

 

Developing Economies
 

Why Emerging Markets are a Screaming Buy
Stocks in the developing world are volatile but inexpensive.

What Africa’s Central Banks Will Discuss in the Next Ten Days
A plunging oil price gives African central banks more to think about as they move toward a cycle of raising interest rates.

Girls Hold the Key to Zambia’s Future
“I never thought of seeing a lady as an engineer – I thought engineering was just for men. But since I came here I have met women who are accountants, working in construction and even have their own businesses. It is shocking.”

Weekly Impact Investment Market Update: November 9, 2018

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Impact Investing & ESG
 

Impact Investing: A Multitrillion-Dollar Market in the Making
Impact investing has been gaining traction over the last decade, as investors, consumers, and—to an extent—policymakers come to recognize that new ideas are needed in order to address some of the largest societal and environmental challenges facing humankind.

New Standards Give Investors Uniform Data on ESG Criteria
A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, but the big thinkers of sustainable investing have long argued for what they say is much-needed consistency in defining what exactly sustainable means. Now, the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board has unveiled its first set of industry-specific accounting standards, outlining which issues are financially material for 77 industries.

Gender and Ethnic Diversity Make Impact Investing Profitable
Companies with strong ethnic diversity are even better impact investments than gender diverse ones.

Mainstreaming Sustainability: What Banks and Business Schools Should do Next
As institutional investor demand for ESG products mounts due to robust ESG performance and stakeholder pressure to address global challenges, banks and business schools alike should offer mandatory sustainable investing training to meet the demand for financial services professionals who understand sustainability.

Impact Investing Versus ESG Investing – Aren’t They the Same Thing?
The difference between impact investing and ESG investing remains a mystery to many investors, but the broader trend towards investing sustainably is gaining ground

Asia’s Slowly Tightening ESG Embrace
Trailblazing asset owners are aiding cautious investors by adopting environmental, social and governance measures, as a special report researched by AsianInvestor reveals.

The Importance of Impact Measurement
Nearly three decades since the launch of the earliest Socially Responsible funds, the impact investment industry has grown tremendously. Estimates indicate that the market could reach hundreds of billions in assets under management over the next decade. Yet, as it grows, the industry continues to grapple with the challenge of impact reporting.

 

United States & Europe
 

Fed Leaves Rates Unchanged, Says U.S. Economy Strong
The U.S. Federal Reserve held interest rates steady on Thursday but remained on track to keep gradually tightening borrowing costs, as it pointed to a healthy economy that was marred only by a dip in the growth of business investment.

IMF Lowers Economic Growth Projection for Europe
The International Monetary Fund has lowered its forecast for economic growth in Europe for 2018 and 2019, but said the region was still growing above its potential.

 

Developing Economies
 

Investors’ Bright Future in Africa
For decades, risk, or at least the perception of it, has been a major impediment to Africa’s efforts to attract foreign investment. But rapid economic growth and a much-improved business environment are changing how investors view the continent.

IMF Says Pick-Up in the Non-Oil Sector Will Boost Nigeria’s Economic Growth to 1.9% in 2018
IMF explains that the growth momentum in Nigeria will see an average rise in sub-Saharan Africa economy from 2.7% in 2017 to 3.1% in 2018.

Buhari Approves $98 as Nigeria’s New Monthly Minimum Wage
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday signed an agreement with organized labour raising the minimum wage in Africa’s most populous nation.

Argentina to Extend Currency Band in 2019, Likely Adjust Less
Argentina’s central bank will extend the use of a currency trading band into next year and will likely manage peso fluctuations less than at present, a sign the country’s IMF-backed monetary policy is bearing fruit as the end of a harrowing year draws near.

Weekly Impact Investment Market Update: November 2, 2018

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Impact Investing & ESG
 

Demand for ESG Investing is Knocking at Your Door…or Should Be
Panelists at the InvestmentNews Women Adviser Summit discuss the opportunity of engaging clients and prospects on environmental, social and governance issues.

World’s Largest Pension Fund Cites Improved ESG Adoption by Corporates
Within Asia, equity portfolio from India showed the most improvement in ESG ranking, followed by Japan and Hong Kong

Special Report: ESG Takes Root
One in every four professionally managed dollars is now invested sustainably according to some definition, with a total of $22.9trn run in this way overall, according to the Global Sustainable Investment Alliance.

Investors Can and Should Address the Fundamental Causes of Income Inequality
Investors are increasingly aware of the system-level effects of their investments.

Commentary: Sustainable Investing at a Tipping Point
Sustainable investing, which takes full account of environmental, social and governance factors, has come of age. More than $1 in every $4 of assets under professional management has a sustainability mandate, making a total of about $22.9 trillion.

Responsible Investing: Consider ESG as Financial Data, Says WWF
ESG data is still regarded as non-financial information that only acts to complement the usual reporting requirements. But there is a growing school of thought that it should be recognized as financial data as ESG issues can materially impact profits in the future, says Keith Lee, sustainable finance engagement manager at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Opinion: Impact Investors are Engaging in Blended Finance. Here’s What they Offer
Blended finance is the use of catalytic capital from public or philanthropic sources to increase private sector investment in sustainable development. It is an effective risk-sharing arrangement whereby public or philanthropic capital, largely provided by foundations, NGOs, individuals, and development agencies, is used to shrink the distance between real and perceived risks, making it possible to crowd in commercial investors.

Why Faith-Based Organizations are Shifting to Impact Investing
Faith-based organizations are increasingly investing in socially and environmentally responsible causes. A 2010 global study of faith institutions showed that 77% of 103 respondents practice impact investing.

 

United States & Europe
 

U.S. Added 250,000 Jobs in October; Unemployment at 3.7%
The last official snapshot of the economy before Americans vote on Tuesday offered another reminder of the labor market’s persistent strength. Hiring is up. Wages are up. The total number of workers and job searchers is up.

 

Developing Economies
 

Minimum Wage Surge across Southeast Asia
Minimum wages in Southeast Asia are rising sharply as governments strive to please their publics.

Southeast Asia’s Risk Map: Country-by-Country Breakdown
Geopolitical risk comes in many forms. While Investors are keeping a wary eye on political divisions in the U.S., trade war between Beijing and Washington, and rising populism in Europe, Southeast Asian markets are facing their own unique headwinds.

Weekly Impact Investment Market Update: October 26, 2018

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Impact Investing & ESG
 

Overheard at SOCAP18: The Alpha in Impact, Billions to Trillions, Women-Led Solutions, Elite Charade?
The full spectrum of impact investing was on display on Day Three of the annual SOCAP conference. ImpactAlpha’s team fanned out to catch the conversation.

3 Ways to Create a Climate Change Investment Strategy
The United Nations released a sobering report on climate change this month, stating that the Earth is warming faster than even scientists thought and that without far-reaching action, the planet is likely to warm to a dangerous level by 2040.

New Investment App Targets Millennials to Change Business with Their Dollars
Newday Impact Investing is a wealth advisory firm targeting millennials, not millionaires. Backed by senior managers from firms like BlackRock and Stone & Youngberg, the San Francisco-based startup is hoping to change the face of financial investment by shifting capital flows to “do good” companies on a massive scale.

BlackRock Bets Big on ESG Investing
The world’s largest asset manager has introduced a core ESG ETF portfolio, new ESG funds and more extensive disclosures on ESG metrics.

A Big Splash in the ESG Fixed Income Space
To date, a massive percentage of the exchange traded funds extolling the virtues of environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing have been equity-based funds.

Institutional Investors Seeks ESG Opportunities via Fixed-Income Vehicles
RBC Global Asset Management recently published its third annual Responsible Investing Survey, and My-Linh Ngo, ESG investment specialist for the firm’s London-based BlueBay Asset Management division, offered PLANADVISER her take on the results.

How to Use Donor-Advised Funds to Make Impact Investments
There’s a vast missed opportunity to use DAFs for making impact investments in support of market-based solutions to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Changing the Status Quo: How Women are Leading the Charge on Impact Investing
“It’s the first time in history that women in the U.S. control more assets, or are allocating more assets, than men,” said Barnet. “So I think the biggest shift will be in client demand and what clients are looking for, and individuals and leaders will adjust their strategies and products to adapt to that. Companies that don’t get that shift right won’t be around anymore.”

 

United States & Europe
 

U.S. Economy Grew at a 3.5 Percent Rate in 3rd Quarter
The economy expanded at a 3.5 percent annual rate in the third quarter, the Commerce Department said Friday. That’s slower than the second quarter’s blockbuster 4.2 percent, but it puts the economy on pace for the fastest annual growth in 13 years.

 

Developing Economies
 

Emerging Market Debt: Into the Wild
It’s been a volatile year for emerging market debt, but conditions have settled down over the last month or two. That said, institutional investors looking to take advantage of the diversification and return possibilities that the asset class can offer need to fully understand the potential risks from fiscal, monetary and political perspectives — and they need to be patient.

Weekly Impact Investment Market Update: October 19, 2018

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Impact Investing & ESG
 

IFC Releases Draft Impact Investment Guidelines
Investors have welcomed new guiding principles for impact investing intended to turbocharge the sector — but some question whether the International Finance Corporation, which developed the rules, is the right institution to be leading the effort.

Why Companies Must Manage Environmental, Social, and Governance Risks
Wharton’s Witold Henisz, Katherine Klein and Sherryl Kuhlman discuss how ESG risks impact companies’ bottom lines.

The Politics of Impact
An excerpt from Jed Emerson’s The Purpose of Capital: Elements of Impact, Financial Flows, and Natural Being

Why ESG is Not a Flash in the Pan
As a concept, ESG investing has been around for some time. Every so often it has had its moment in the spotlight before disappearing into the shadows along with other so-called ‘investment fads’.

Demand Grows for SEC Rules on ESG Disclosure
As investors routinely push public companies to address ESG in terms of long-term shareholder value, a determined group of institutional investors and ESG advocates think the time is right for the Securities and Exchange Commission to mandate a uniform approach to how companies disclose and manage potential risks.

Third-Party ESG Ratings Evolving for Investor Needs
As institutional investors increasingly demand that money managers integrate environmental, social and governance factors into portfolios, third-party ratings used to inform decisions are under development, evaluation and in some cases reconstruction.

ESG Wake-Up Call for Pension Laggards
Policymakers are trying to steer more UK schemes towards sustainable investing.

How Investors Can Save the World, One Dollar at a Time
Sustainable investing allows you to invest with your conscience: You embrace companies that promote social and environmental good, while avoiding businesses that don’t share the same ethics.

 

United States & Europe
 

US Named the World’s Most Competitive Economy
The U.S. is ranked most competitive economy for the first time in a decade.

Europe’s Most Stable Economy Says It’s Time to Share the Wealth
The Czech Republic must distribute its growing wealth more widely, and even a cooler economy won’t stop higher social expenditure and investment, according to the country’s finance chief.

 

Developing Economies
 

Five Reasons to Buy Emerging Markets
While the U.S. stock market remains overvalued, emerging markets have become cheap.  With the divergence in performance between U.S. stocks and emerging market stocks in 2018, the risk/reward profile of owning emerging market stocks rather than U.S. stocks has rarely looked so attractive.

Kenya: Economic Growth Looking Up – World Bank
Kenya’s economy is projected to grow by 5.8 per cent next year supported by strong remittance inflows and rising household income from agriculture harvests and lower food prices.

Kenyan Workers Ranked Fourth in Africa, World Bank
The future of Kenya’s workforce seems bright with the country’s future personnel ranked the fourth on the continent.

Worldwide: Economy on the Rise in Latin America
The United Nations along with the Economic Development Division of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) has issued the 2018 Economic Survey of Latin America and the Caribbean.

 

Weekly Impact Investing Market Update: October 12, 2018

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Impact Investing & ESG
 

Ensuring that the Trillions Have Impact: New Global Minimum Standards for Credible Impact Investing
The International Finance Corp (IFC) set global minimum standards for credible impact investing today at the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group in Bali, Indonesia by releasing a draft of its Operating Principles for Impact Management.

Fix Boomers’ ESG Dilemma with Bonds
Older investors have the lion’s share of investible assets, but their age or need for current income could limit their interest in ESG equity investments

Millennials and Impact Investing: A Striking Pair for a Broadening Sector
Go to any social impact conference, and you will probably hear, “Soon, there will be no ‘impact’ investing. It will simply be investing.”

U.S. Institutional Investors Changing Views of ESG Investing
A global survey of institutional investors found more in the U.S. said ESG factors can be a source of alpha and risk mitigation, and more institutional investors overall said incorporating ESG factors into their investment approach is part of their fiduciary duty.

Three Ways Politicians can Turbo-Charge the Impact Revolution
Politicians and policymakers around the world are desperately seeking solutions to pressing challenges like improving access to quality healthcare, reducing carbon emissions and regenerating underserved communities. Impact investors share these same goals, and are developing a set of scalable financial tools that can help to achieve them.

First-of-its-Kind-Certification Introduced for SRI Investing
The College for Financial Planning has partnered with US SIF: The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment to introduce the first certification for sustainable, responsible and impact investing.

 

United States & Europe
 

A New Bioeconomy Strategy for a Sustainable Europe
Today the Commission has put forward an action plan to develop a sustainable and circular bioeconomy that serves Europe’s society, environment and economy.

 

Developing Economies
 

Investors Don’t Hold Enough Emerging Market Assets – UBS
The world’s largest wealth manager says investors are mistaken – despite current market angst – in not putting enough money into emerging economies, given long-term trends.

Singapore Joins Regional Monetary Tightening Rush
Inflation spurs central bank’s second move this year despite GDP slowdown.