Filters: Emerging Markets

Weekly Impact Investment Market Update: February 2, 2018

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Impact Investing & ESG
 

Why It’s Time to Align Retirement Funds with Sustainability Goals

A new wave of environmentally focused retirement funds aims to advance corporate sustainability goals while enabling employees to save for their own financial future.

Sustainable Funds U.S. Landscape Report

Sustainable investing has gained considerable traction over the past several years. Yet, these funds can be difficult to identify and analyze because they take varying approaches and don’t represent a single asset class or investment style. This report clarifies the choices of sustainable funds available in the U.S. as of the end of 2017.

MSCI: How Does ESG Impact the Performance of Companies?

MSCI has published new research highlighting how ESG characteristics affect corporations’ valuations and risk profiles.

The Success of ESG Depends on Transformative Approaches

Corporate-NGO partnerships absolutely hold potential for positive change from an environmental, social and potentially governance perspective.

Dutch Pension Fund Moves from Impact Alignment to Impact Management

PGGM takes stock of what and how much impact its investments have, but on who remains a mystery.

Four Ways to Get the Private Sector to Start Paying Attention to the Global Goals

Public and philanthropic funders can get smart on mandates, responsibilities and regulations driving private investments.

Yahoo Finance Expands Offering as Only Free Provider of Sustainability Scores, across Desktop and Mobile Web

Starting today, conscientious investors will be able to track the ESG scores of more than 2,000 publicly traded companies, only on Yahoo Finance.

Sexual Harassment Screens Making It into ETF ESG World

Impact Shares, a not-for-profit startup that partners with leading charitable organizations, is launching the first ETF focused on women empowerment that will screen for sexual harassment.

Is the Social Impact Bond Market Half-Billion Full or Empty?
An update on the more than 100 social impact bonds launched to date.

Investors Wake Up to a $2.3 Trillion Opportunity in Sustainable Food and Agriculture

For example, food corporations Cargill, Tyson Foods, PHW, and even fast-food chain McDonald’s, are investing in alternative proteins.

 

United States & Europe
 

Every One of the World’s Big Economies is Now Growing

A decade after the world descended into a devastating economic crisis, a key marker of revival has finally been achieved. Every major economy on earth is expanding at once, a synchronous wave of growth that is creating jobs, lifting fortunes and tempering fears of popular discontent.

U.S. Economy Creates 200,000 Jobs in January; Wages Take Off

Wage gains unexpectedly accelerated last month to the fastest pace in more than eight years, signaling that average workers’ pay may finally be breaking out of a long period of weakness, according to a report Friday that also showed hiring continued at a solid pace.

Europe’s Economy Grew Faster Than the U.S. Last Year

Sure, the United States is growing at a nice clip. But Europe’s economy is expanding at an even faster rate.

 

Developing Economies
 

Emerging Market Inflows at 7-Month High of $30 Billion in January

Foreign investors poured $30 billion into emerging markets in January, a seven-month high and the best start to a year since 2015, according to data from the Institute of International Finance (IIF).

Emerging Markets Offer Attractive Investment Opportunities in 2018

Emerging Markets continue to offer attractive investment opportunities even after the strong performance seen in 2017.

WhatsApp-ening with Forests and Climate in Togo?

After years of working in environmental protection in Togo, Brigitte Acakpo-Addra identified a problem in need of an innovative solution.

Asia’s Central Banks Should Prepare to Raise Interest Rates

Financial markets around Asia are preparing for a Goldilocks economy in 2018 — not too hot, not too cold, with strong growth and stable prices.

How Southeast Asian Countries Compare on Growth and Development

A new World Economic Forum development index shows that countries can be measured on a range of factors, including healthy life expectancy, GDP per capita and distribution of wealth

The Energy Solution Latin America Needs

One of the sunniest places on earth, Chile’s Atacama Desert, has the highest solar irradiance in the world — and the potential to generate enough electricity to power all of South America.

Weekly Impact Investment Market Update: January 26, 2018

Posted on by trilinc_admin17

Impact Investing & ESG
 

ESG Moves from the Margins to the Mainstream

Environmental, social and governance issues are often described by businesses and investors as “nonfinancial,” suggesting they have no materially significant impact on the bottom line, either as a risk to revenue or an opportunity for business growth.

How to Drive Competitive Returns with Impact Investing

Businesses that incorporate “material ESG factors into their strategy, operations and culture will outperform [others that do not] over the long term,” is the underlying philosophy at New York City-based Inherent Group.

 

United States & Europe
 

U.S. Economy Picked Up in 2017, but Growth Slowed at Year’s End

The economy grew 2.3% for the year, the Commerce Department said Friday. That’s well ahead of the 1.5% growth in 2016, but slower than 2015.

Robust Imports Slow U.S. Economic Growth in Fourth Quarter

U.S. economic growth unexpectedly slowed in the fourth quarter as the strongest pace of consumer spending in three years resulted in a surge in imports.

 

Developing Economies
 

A Global Convergence of Economic Conditions is Driving the Market Melt-Up

There’s a simple way to make sense of the tumbling dollar, the Treasury selloff and the emerging-market boom, all springing in lockstep. Investors are intensifying their bets on synchronized global growth, a dynamic that’s crimping demand for safe assets and fueling convergence trades.

The Recent History of the Global Economy in One Chart

In 1950, the average African had almost twice as much income as the average Asian. At 63% of the world’s average, she wasn’t far behind the typical global citizen, either.

The Fun is Just Starting for Emerging-Market Stocks

The key risk for investors in emerging-market stocks is not getting caught in a slump, but exiting the rally too early.

African Development Bank to Add $2Billion to Nigeria Loans

The African Development Bank plans to increase its loans to Nigeria by more than $2 billion next year with investments in energy, infrastructure and agriculture, its President Akinwumi Adesina said.

IMF Revises Up 2019 Asian Growth Due to India’s Strength

Indian economy picks up the slack from China as Asia outperforms.

Brazil Believes Its Growth Rate Will Be Double the IMF’s Forecast

Brazil expects to see upwards of 3 percent GDP growth in 2018, Brazilian Finance Minister told CNBC Tuesday, a figure that flies in the face of the International Monetary Fund’s forecast of 1.5 percent.

Trust in Latin America’s Growth Outlook Strengthens: Poll

Economists’ confidence in Latin America’s prospects is strengthening ahead of major elections in the region as global growth accelerates, the latest Reuters survey found.

Weekly Impact Investment Market Update: January 19, 2018

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Impact Investing & ESG
 

BlackRock’s Message: Contribute to Society, or Risk Losing Our Support

On Tuesday, the chief executives of the world’s largest public companies will be receiving a letter from one of the most influential investors in the world. And what it says is likely to cause a firestorm in the corner offices of companies everywhere and a debate over social responsibility that stretches from Wall Street to Washington.

The Lasting Impacts: The Need for Responsible Exits

Lasting Impact: The Need for Responsible Exits demonstrates why and how investors attempt to safeguard the continuity of their investments’ impact beyond exit.

Everyone’s Winner? How ‘Impact Investing’ Can Make Money – and Do Good

Rural families in Africa who need access to power and investors seeking a decent return on their money are getting together so everyone prospers. The cherry on the cake? It’s good for the environment too.

Global Goals, Country Plans: How Achim Steiner is Making SDGs Investable

UNDP Chief says there are “enormous mountains of cash” available for Sustainable Development Goals.

A New Impact Investing Model for Education

On the outskirts of Bengaluru, India, Sri Vidya Bharathi Matriculation School is part of a new wave of mom-and-pop, low-fee private schools that now serve roughly 30 percent of India’s 300 million school-age children.

 

United States & Europe
 

Apple Accelerates US Investment and Job Creation

Apple announced that it will contribute $350 billion to the US Economy, create 20,000 new jobs, and invest $5 billion in advanced manufacturing funds over the next five years.

 

Developing Economies
 

2018 African Economic Outlook Shows Economies Resilient to Negative Shocks

Launching the 2018 African Economic Outlook on Wednesday, the President of the African Development Bank, Akinwumi Adesina, made a compelling case for accelerating Africa’s industrialization in order to create jobs, reduce poverty and promote inclusive economic growth.

AfDB Projects Ghana Economic Growth at 8.5% in 2018

A number of projections of economic growth for Ghana in 2018 have all suggested growth above 8 per cent following a 3.5 per cent growth in 2016, which was also the lowest in about two decades.

Global Markets – Asia Shares Hit Historic Highs, Dollar Slips Anew

Asian shares hit historic highs on Monday after Wall Street extended its record-breaking run, while the U.S. dollar retreat continued as investors priced in the risk of tighter policies elsewhere in the developed world.

First the Sun, Now the Wind

China is to become the world’s offshore wind leader by 2022.

Indonesia Wants to Lure More Foreign Banks to Its Financial Institutions

Banks from countries including China are looking to follow the example of Japan’s largest lender and buy stakes in Indonesian financial institutions.

Update – Argentina Fiscal Deficit Falls to 3.9 Percent of GDP of 2017

Argentina posted a primary fiscal deficit worth 3.9 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2017, below its 4.2 percent goal and the 4.6 percent figure posted in 2016.

Brazil Economic Activity Expands for Third Month in November

Economic activity in Brazil expanded for a third straight month in November, the longest stretch of gains since 2014, suggesting strong momentum at the end of the year.

World Bank Projects Colombian GDP to Grow by 2.9% in 2018

Colombian GDP will grow by 2.9% in 2018, according to a new projection from the World Bank. While this is an improvement from the 1.8% estimated economic growth of 2017, it is a decrease from the 3.1% rate for 2018 that the global financial organization had projected for Colombia last June in a prior forecast.

Weekly Impact Investment Market Update: January 12, 2018

Posted on by trilinc_admin17

Impact Investing & ESG
 

Number of Institutional Investors Using ESG Factors in Decisions Holds Steady

Only 39% of institutional investors surveyed by Callan that do not include ESG factors in investment decision-making said the value proposition for ESG remains unclear, down from 63% in 2016.

Sustainalytics Publishes New Research Report that Examines the Prevalence of ESG Incidents

Based on analysis of over 29,000 incidents that took place from 2014 to 2016, the report identifies prominent incident categories, where incidents are occurring, and which industries are most involved.

MSCI Links ESG with Stronger Asset Growth

Being good stewards of client assets seems to pay off for some of the world’s largest publicly traded money managers, with research showing a link between responsible investment and the power to gather assets under management.

What’s the Value Where ESG Meets Emerging Markets?

Home to a diversified mix of sectors, Emerging Markets are now better supported by robust service sectors and a rapidly growing middle class.

Harnessing Tourism for the Global Goals

The number of jetsetters, currently at 1.2 billion, is expected to grow by 56% to 1.8 billion by 2030.

Democratizing – and Localizing- Impact Investing in 2018

How small investors are crowdfunding local businesses and overlooked entrepreneurs.

What is Driving Investors’ Interest in Sustainability Reporting?

Sustainability reporting is becoming increasingly more important to investors.

 

United States & Europe
 

Europe’s Economy is Firing on All Cylinders

The economy of the eurozone may have enjoyed faster growth than the United States in 2017, confidence is the highest it has been in decades and unemployment is at a 9-year low.

 

Developing Economies
 

South African Economy May Grow 2 Percent in 2018, Finance Minister Says

South Africa’s economy may grow 2 percent this year if the government takes needed policy decisions, Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba said on Thursday.

Mexico Records 6.77 Inflation in 2017, a 17-Year High

Mexico recorded 6.77% annual inflation in 2017, the country said Tuesday, more than double its 3 percent target and a 17-year high.

Peru Eyes $2.4 Billion Minerals Railway as Copper Output Rises

The government of Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski is evaluating a $2.4 billion railway project to transport mineral concentrates from a copper-rich Andean region to the Pacific coast for export.

Weekly Impact Investment Market Update: December 8, 2017

Posted on by MBC Strategic

Impact Investing & ESG
 

The State of Impact Measurement and Management Practice

This report presents findings from the GIIN’s first comprehensive survey of the state of impact measurement and management (IMM) in the impact investing industry.

Can Index Funds Be a Force for Sustainable Capitalism?

There is growing demand from both retail and institutional investors to align their capital with better environmental and social outcomes, and more resources going into index fund or quasi-indexing products.

From Bezos to Walton, Big Investors Back Fund for ‘Flyover’ Start-Ups

On Tuesday, the fund, called Rise of the Rest, will disclose its investors, which has turned into a Who’s Who of American business.

Why Wall Street’s Finally Pushing to Add Women on Boards

The big money on Wall Street is finally throwing its weight behind boardroom diversity.

ESG Funds Boosted by Women and Millennial Investors

Women and millennials are responsible for the doubling of ESG assets to $8.1 trillion worldwide since 2014 — and you can expect that trend to continue.

In the Middle East and North Africa, the 2030 Global Goals are a $600 Billion Opportunity

Businesses focusing on resilient cities, sustainable agriculture and new energy could propel -more than $637 billion in new business activity and 12.4 million jobs in the region by 2030.

 

United States & Europe
 

Europe Should Have its Own Economy and Finance Minister, says EC

European commission presents proposals aimed at improving Eurozone democracy and resilience to economic shocks.

France is Now the Testing Ground for Europe’s Labor Policies

Many believe that France’s existing labor market code — some 3,000 pages long — has restrained business in the country.

U.S. Payrolls Rise 228,000 While Wages Gain Less Than Forecast

The U.S. labor market has moved past a couple months of hurricane disruptions and returned to its regularly scheduled programming: solid hiring but tepid wage gains that suggest things aren’t as tight as the unemployment rate suggests.

 

Developing Economies
 

What Emerging Market Debt Bubble? Galloway’s Shor Sees No Signs

Galloway Capital Management founder Nathan Shor isn’t seeing signs of a bubble percolating in emerging-market credit.

Where is Latin America Headed?

The recent presidential vote in Chile, along with the Nov. 26 contest in Honduras, signals the beginning of a yearlong electoral cycle in Latin America. By the end of 2018, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, Costa Rica, Paraguay and perhaps Venezuela will have elected new leaders.

Asia to Stay World’s Fastest Growing Region Through 2030

Asia should remain the world’s economic heavyweight for another 10 years.

Indonesia Economy to Level at 5.1% in 2018

Consumption may recover as other financing sources are explored for its infrastructure projects.

A Borderless Africa? Some Countries Open Doors, Raise Hopes

For years African leaders have toyed with the idea of free movement by citizens across the continent, even raising the possibility of a single African passport.

Weekly Impact Investment Market Update: December 1, 2017

Posted on by MBC Strategic

Impact Investing & ESG
 

Brain Gain: Impact Investing in Latin America’s New Wave of Startups

In Mexico, Brazil and Colombia, tech entrepreneurs tackle challenges of financial inclusion, health care and agriculture.

Why ESG Matters for Bonds

The higher a country’s ESG rating, the better its government bonds perform, MSCI has found.

The Promise of Private Sector Grants in an Impact Investing World

Private sector development grants can help reach people in communities where many investors won’t go.

 

United States & Europe
 

Forecasts for U.S. Growth are Too Pessimistic

Those who wait for changes to tax policy to upgrade their estimates for next year are going to end up waiting too long.

Private Banking Disrupts Italy’s Wealth Management Market

As supply and demand models change in Italy’s dynamic wealth management industry, private banking is emerging as a key disruptor.

What the Future of Work Will Mean for Future Jobs, Skills, and Wages

As many as 375 million workers around the world may need to switch occupational categories and learn new skills.

 

Developing Economies
 

The Global Economy in 2018

The global economy will confront serious challenges in the months ahead, and looming in the background is a mountain of debt that makes markets nervous – and that thus increases the system’s vulnerability to destabilizing shocks.

Emerging Markets Debt is so Hot, Some Investors Can’t Get Enough

In their hunt for yield, some investors have been venturing into offerings as exotic as Tajikistan’s sovereign bond or Iraq’s first sovereign debt sale.

Distributed Energy is a $40 Billion Industry in Developing Countries, Report Finds

Distributed energy outside the OECD is a $40bn industry, new research has found.

Wall Street’s Bulls Are Rushing to the Land of Gauchos: Argentina

Their return marks a sharp comeback in confidence for one of the world’s worst economies.

Kenya Seeks Proposals for $2 Billion Eurobond Sale

Kenya’s government is seeking proposals from banks about a possible $2 billion Eurobond offering in the first quarter of 2018.

Rwanda Among Top 10 Countries with Good Governance Record

Rwanda has been ranked the best ranked country in eastern Africa for good governance.

Zambia Says ‘Must Have’ $1.3 Billion IMF Loan in Place in 2018

Zambia expects to host a mission of the IMF before the end of the year and hopes to have a $1.3 billion loan deal in place in early 2018.

Weekly Impact Investment Market Update: November 22, 2017

Posted on by MBC Strategic

Impact Investing & ESG
 

When It Comes to Investing in the Future, Go with Renewable Energy over Bitcoin

Bitcoin is going gangbusters and getting all the attention, but it’s far easier to understand the dynamics in the energy markets, and they show that renewable energy is not going backward again.

Impact Investing is Being Democratized – and Marginalized Communities are Benefiting

The first comprehensive snapshot of community investing in the United States points to increased diversity and inclusion for startup funding. Foundations and impact investors should pay attention.

Schwab IMPACT: Can ESG be an Advisor’s Niche?

So far, there has been little uptake among advisors or clients for ESG funds.

 

United States & Europe
 

Making Manufacturing Great Again Would Add $530 Billion to GDP

A new report suggests investments in today’s manufacturing operations could carry hundreds of billions of dollars in economic payoffs.

Commission Calls for Reforms to Address Wage Stagnation

The European Commission told member states on Wednesday to prioritize policies that support wage growth, in light of the economic pain still suffered by many Europeans.

How to Build on Europe’s Economic Recovery

Economic growth in Europe is picking up, political uncertainty has diminished, and the vision of an “ever-closer” regional union is energizing some new constructive thinking in core countries. Translating this into sustainable prosperity, however, is far from automatic, and these improvements need to be followed by structural changes in four key areas.

 

Developing Economies
 

Emerging Markets in Focus: Chile, S. Africa, Hungary, India

A list of emerging markets to keep an eye-out for.

Tanzania: Construction Sector Vital in Industrialization

Local contractors need to observe ethics and professional standards to compete with foreign contractors in major projects.

Ex-Leader Wins First Round of Chile’s Presidential Vote

Former President Sebastián Piñera of Chile, a conservative billionaire, on Sunday won the first round of an election to choose a successor to President Michelle Bachelet.

Weekly Impact Investment Market Update: November 17, 2017

Posted on by MBC Strategic

Impact Investing & ESG
 

Government Launches Emerging Market Impact Investment Fund

The $40 billion emerging markets impact investment fund will support SME’s that generate positive social and development outcomes for poor communities in the Asia-Pacific.

Impact Investing Taking Root in Asia

In a bid to help address challenging global circumstances, a growing number of Asia’s high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals are looking to increase their portfolio allocation to impact investing.

Blending Finance to Crowd in Private Capital for Climate Action and the Global Agenda

Meeting the Paris climate goals is essential for the Sustainable Development Goals as well.

U.N. Secretary-General: End Fossil Fuel Investment and Put a Price on Carbon

Guterres calls for the world to honor its yearly $100 billion pledge to finance the low-carbon transition.

A New Model of Collaborative Philanthropy

A new effort called Co-Impact is bringing together donors from around the world to better identify, align, and support opportunities for systems-level change.

World’s Biggest Wealth Fund Wants Out of Oil and Gas

The $1 trillion fund that Norway has amassed pumping oil and gas over the past two decades wants out of petroleum stocks.

Evidence on the Financial Performance of Impact Investments

Impact investing is a growing movement capturing the attention of investors across the world. But too much capital is still sitting on the sidelines, which results in part from suspicions around financial performance.

EU Considering Sustainable Investing as Fiduciary Duty for Investors

The European Commission is considering whether to clarify that institutional investors’ duties include taking into account sustainability risks.

Designing a Global Financial System Fit for (Sustainable) Purpose

A roadmap for climate- and SDG-finance from the United Nations and the World Bank reflects a shift that’s well underway.

 

United States & Europe
 

US Unemployment Benefits Rise 10,000 to 249,000

The number of Americans filing applications for unemployment benefits edged up again last week to a still-low 249,000.

Euro Zone Growth, Eclipsing U.S. Economy, Set to be Best in Decade

The euro zone’s annual economic growth rate outstripped that of the United States in the third quarter setting up 2017 as the best year for the currency area since financial markets crashed a decade ago.

Euro Economy is Heading Towards a Golden Period

The 19-nation euro-zone bloc is already enjoying the strongest growth in a decade and now economists are declaring that it’s heading toward a golden period of low-inflationary expansion.

Central Europe Grows at Fastest Rate in 9 Years

Central Europe’s fastest expansion for nine years and strong growth in Germany spurred the EU’s vigorous economic recovery in the third quarter.

 

Developing Economies
 

African Economic Growth Rides on Wireless Rails

A telecommunications boom is lifting an industry and a continent.

Nigeria’s Senate Gives Go-Ahead for $5.5 Billion Foreign Borrowing

Nigeria will move ahead with plans to borrow $5.5 billion from foreign investors after the Senate on Tuesday approved President Muhammadu Buhari request for the move.

Latin America Demonstrates Leadership at COP23

Latin American countries, regions, and cities demonstrated clear ambition and leadership at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP23) held in Bonn, Germany over the past two weeks.

Colombia’s Economy Grew 2% in Third Quarter Versus Year Before

Cardenas announced the lower growth estimate after the government’s statistics agency DANE reported that the economy expanded 2 percent in the third quarter compared with the same period a year ago.

How Asia Has Become the World’s Manufacturing Hub

Economic development always starts with using what natural resources are available and making a start in agriculture. But countries don’t grow by staying put.

Malaysian Economy Expands at Fastest Pace in More than 3 Years

Malaysia’s economy grew at the fastest pace in more than three years in the third quarter, supported by resilient domestic demand and a manufacturing sector that’s benefiting from booming global trade.

Philippines Economy Sizzles in Forecast-Beating Third-Quarter Growth

The Philippine economy clocked forecast-topping growth of 6.9% in the third quarter, making it one of Asia’s fastest growing and building expectations for a near-term increase in interest rates.

Weekly Impact Investment Market Update: November 10, 2017

Posted on by MBC Strategic

Impact Investing & ESG
 

Impact Investors Can Profit From Infill Real Estate Development and Do Well by Doing Good

There have always been investors who value profitable opportunities that create a positive social and economic impact on communities and the environment.

Advisors Failing to Talk ESG with Clients

Investors of all ages are interested in environmental, social and governance investing—or ESG—but advisors apparently are not bringing up the subject with them.

Argentina Wants a Slice of the Impact Investment Pie

Attracting impact investors is part of Argentina President Mauricio Macri plan to rebuild the country’s investment environment.

‘Less Talk, More Action’ to Boost Impact Investing in China

The philosophy behind impact investing isn’t lost on China, but the tendency to over-hype the sector could be.

Forbes Launches Impact Investing Community
Forbes Media announced today the launch of its invite-only Impact Investing Community which will convene the world’s most influential people – entrepreneurs, celebrities, family offices, athletes, investors, musicians, next-gen leaders, and creators – to scale impact investing and influence culture.

 

United States & Europe
 

N.Y. Fed Sees U.S. Economy Growth Near 3.2 Percent in Fourth Quarter

The New York Federal Reserve on Friday kept its view on U.S. gross domestic product growth for the fourth quarter near 3.2 percent given the dearth of economic data this week.

Goldman Sachs CEO: China’s Economy Will Surpass the US, and by One Measure it Already Has

Goldman Sachs Chairman and CEO Lloyd Blankfein told CNBC on Thursday it’s inevitable that the Chinese economy will be bigger than the U.S. economy based on the sheer population disparity alone.

Europe’s Economic Dilemma

Europe faces a serious problem. Although economic activity has recently increased, the euro zone has lost the ability to respond to the next downturn when it happens, as it inevitably will.

 

Developing Economies
 

Managing Climate Impacts Through 2050

A new ranking from Thomson Reuters charts the top 250 corporate producers of greenhouse gases.

Brazil Begins Efforts to Plant 73 Million Trees in the Amazon

The experiment in reforestation involves spreading native seeds instead of planting saplings.

China Makes Historic Move to Open Market for Financial Firms

China took a major step toward the long-awaited opening of its financial system, saying it will remove foreign ownership limits on banks while allowing overseas firms to take majority stakes in local securities ventures, fund managers, and insurers.

Weekly Impact Investment Market Update: October 27, 2017

Posted on by MBC Strategic

Impact Investing & ESG
 

The Limits of ESG Screening

Governance is the most important factor in ESG investing. But can you really screen for it?

Companies Taking ESG Seriously are Long-Term Winners

Inequality and climate change have created a challenging backdrop for companies, meaning a failure to incorporate these principles will provide a poor return for investors.

In Depth: ESG Investing is Here to Stay

As asset owners’ fervor surrounding ESG and impact investing intensifies, sustainable investing has emerged as an integral part of investment frameworks.

25 Universal Assets Owners That Could Put a Dent in the SDG Financing Gap

Canada had the most leaders on a list of the world’s top 25 responsible asset allocators, with six asset managers representing nearly $1 trillion under management.

Global Tree Cover Loss Rose 51 Percent in 2016

Global tree cover loss reached a record 29.7 million hectares in 2016, according to new data from the University of Maryland released today on Global Forest Watch.

Business Are Facing a New Reality. These Are the Ones that are Succeeding.

Evidence is mounting to show that the frequency and ferocity of extreme weather events is intensifying on a global scale. From severe droughts to powerful storms, we are living in an increasingly changeable, uncertain, and unpredictable world.

 

United States & Europe
 

US Workforce to Add 11.5 Million Jobs by 2026

The U.S. economy is expected to add another 11.5 million jobs by 2026, as an aging population and longer life spans raise the need for healthcare providers. The total U.S. workforce is expected to grow to 167.6 million people.

U.S. Economy Grew at 3% Rate in 3rd Quarter, Despite Storm

In a show of resilience, the American economy grew at a solid pace in the latest quarter despite the impact of the hurricanes in Texas and Florida.

Eastern Europe’s Major Economies Are Having an Underappreciated “Goldilocks Moment”

Germany has long been the engine that drives the EU’s economic growth, but for the past few years it has been outpaced by countries further east—most notably Poland, Romania, and the Czech Republic.

Catalonia Independence: Rajoy Dissolves Catalan Parliament

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is dissolving the Catalan parliament and calling snap local elections after MPs there voted to declare independence.

 

Developing Economies
 

Worldwide Debt More Than Triple Economic Output as Central Bank Shift Looms

Worldwide debt has risen to a record $226 trillion – more than three times global annual economic output – and firms in more countries are struggling to service loans.

Emerging-Market Debt Loses Some Local Appeal

Local-currency debt of developing nations has hit a rough spot after gaining nearly 12 percent during the first nine months of the year.

By 2030, the Number of 15-to-24-Year Olds Will Increase by 100 Million –Where Will They Find Work?

Between 2015 and 2030, the number of 15- to 24-year-olds is expected to increase by 100 million – almost all of them in sub-Saharan Africa and most of them in rural areas.

A $2.9 Billion Tax Hole Looms Over South Africa’s Finance Minister

South African Finance Minister faces a gaping budget hole — and will have to consider cutting spending, raising taxes and selling state assets if he wants to avoid further ratings downgrades.

Tanzania President Names Tax Expert as Central Bank Governor

Tanzania’s new central bank governor will be tax law professor Florens Luoga.

Zambia’s Independence and the State of Agriculture

Zambia’s agriculture has a special place in the country’s political and economic agenda.