Filters: ESG

Weekly Impact Investment Market Update: June 1, 2018

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Impact Investing & ESG
 

Give the People What They Want: Socially Responsible Investments in 401(k)s
If you spend much time reading the financial press nowadays, it’s likely that you’ve come across more than a few articles discussing the growing popularity of investing according to various social and environmental mandates.

Ahead of the Curve: Valuable Tools for EMs
The challenge is that ESG discussions are often accompanied by a degree of confusion because participants cannot agree on what it involves, whether it improves returns, or how it changes the risk profile. Greater clarity can be achieved by analyzing ESG through two separate lenses.

Forbes’ Impact Summit Will Bring Together Business Titans, Impact Investors, and Major Influencers to Drive Impact Investing and Impact Business Globally
Forbes Media announced its first-ever, invite-only Forbes Impact Summit on June 12-13, 2018 in Newark and New York City.

Preqin Solutions Launches ESG & Impact Module
The new solution will help general partners and investors deploy and manage their ESG & impact programs

 

United States & Europe
 

U.S. Economy Extends its Hiring Spree, with a Better than Expected 223,000 New Jobs in May
The U.S. economy added 223,000 job in May as U.S. companies continued their hiring spree, according to the Labor Department’s monthly jobs report released Friday. The unemployment rate fell to 3.8 percent, the lowest since 2000.

 

Developing Economies
 

Emerging Markets Expected to Expand 4.9%
Throughout 2016 and 2017, emerging markets staged an impressive rally.

Chile Sets New Economic Plans in Motion
In its first months in office, Chile’s new government is making a big push to put the country on a new fiscal path.

Secretary General Welcomes President of Colombia to NATO
Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia to NATO for talks on Thursday, marking the first-ever visit by a Colombian head of state to the Alliance. Colombia is NATO’s newest partner, and its first in Latin America.

Weekly Impact Investment Market Update: May 25, 2018

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Impact Investing & ESG
 

European Commission Proposes Regulations to Strengthen ESG Alignment
The European Commission wants institutional investors and money managers to demonstrate how their investments align with environmental, social and governance factors under proposed regulations.

GAO Urges Removal of Roadblocks to ESG Investing in Retirement Plans
ESG investing roadblocks in retirement plans should be removed, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the investigative arm of Congress, urged in a report today.

ESG: What Institutional Investors are Saying about Sustainable Investing
At a Neuberger Berman conference, institutional investors discussed current trends in ESG investing.

One Key to Impact Investing: Start Big
Robert Rubinstein, 66, founder and chairman of the TBLI Group, has been advocating for sustainable, responsible or impact investing since the mid-1990s. One of the key lessons he’s learned: start big.

World’s Wealthy Investing in Companies that Care
A global investment club for the wealthy whose members aim to bring about social or environmental change as well as making a profit has grown by more than $1 billion in two years, according to a report.

 

United States & Europe
 

US Economy Back on Top of World Competitiveness Ranking
With dynamic growth and access to capital seen as primary factors for jumping three places, the US has regained its status as being on the cutting edge of competitiveness in a ranking by the IMD think tank.

 

Developing Economies
 

Easing Inflation, Stable Naira Show Nigeria MPC May Be Right
Nigerian central bank Governor Godwin Emefiele’s tight monetary-policy stance and system of multiple exchange rates may have paid off through slowing inflation and a stable naira, and he’s not about to change that soon.

Policies to Ensure Asia’s Sustained Economic Growth
The transcript of the fifth annual MAS Asian Monetary Policy Forum.

Here’s How India’s Economy is Faring After Four Years Under Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi completes four years in office on May 26. He’s used the time to give India its biggest tax reform, overhauled a century-old bankruptcy law, revived stalled projects and got the World Bank to say Asia’s No. 3 economy is a much better place to do business.

Brazil Economy Advances in First Quarter, Set to Accelerate
The Brazilian economy likely expanded for a fifth straight quarter in the first three months of 2018, a Reuters poll of economists showed, suggesting fears of a slowdown may have been overblown.

Colombia to Become a Member of the OECD International Economic Organization
Colombia is set to be the third Latin American country in the Paris-based economic group. President Juan Manuel Santos praised the membership as key to the country’s efforts to modernize.

Weekly Impact Investment Market Update: May 18, 2018

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Impact Investing & ESG
 

A New Multibillion-Dollar Investment Revolution is Being Led by This Woman
Jean Case, the wife of AOL founder Steve Case, is a leading advocator for impact investing in the United States.

The Giant Market Opportunity Investors Are Overlooking
What if I told you that one of the largest megatrends in the world today—representing a market opportunity worth trillions of dollars — is being overlooked by investors?

Here’s the Fastest Growing Strategy in Smart Beta
Quantitative fund managers are being swept into the explosion of investor interest in strategies tied to environmental, social, and governance factors.

Wealth Managers Expect ESG Strategies to Flourish
Two thirds of professional investors expect to allocate more money to ESG strategies in the next three years.

How to Use ESG to Protect Investors from Downside Risk
ESG should be core part of investment philosophy rather than application of external ratings.

Rise and Rise of the Socially-Conscious Investor
There is rising evidence that allocating a part of one’s investments using strategies that incorporate ESG can have numerous benefits.

How to Meet Client Demand for Impact Investing
Advisors have an important role to play in translating a client’s preference for impact into practical strategies.

 

United States & Europe
 

Rising Oil Prices, Once a Big Negative, May Now be ‘A Wash’ for the US Economy
The rise of the United States to become the world’s second-largest oil producer has changed the calculus for how rising energy prices affect the economy.

 

Developing Economies
 

Gains in Financial Inclusion, Gains for a Sustainable World
Financial inclusion has emerged as a critical development challenge and is a hot topic among policymakers, development practitioners and the private sector.

How Africa is Building a $3 Trillion Free-Trade Future
While the U.S. and China are trying to outdo each other with import tariffs and the U.K. wants to break away from the European Union, African leaders are working on a free-trade agreement that will cover a whole continent.

Nigeria is Leading on Pan-African Free Trade Despite Not Even Signing Up to the Deal, Bank Chief Says
The African Union is proposing a continent-wide trading bloc that would result in the largest free trade area in terms of participating countries since the formation of the World Trade Organization.

‘Population Bonus’ Pushes Up Asian Growth
New free trade deals and intra-regional demand help maintain economic boom

Brazil Calls for Japan-South America Economic Partnership
Foreign minister suggests launching talks at November G-20 in Argentina.

Weekly Impact Investment Market Update: May 11, 2018

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Impact Investing & ESG
 

How Socially Responsible Investing Can Help You Avoid Catastrophic Drops within Your Portfolio

Martin Kremenstein, head of retirement and ETF solutions at Nuveen, explains how ESG metrics serve as an indicator of quality and can be used as a risk management tool.

ESG Reins in Volatility after Rough Start

Critics of ESG mandates believe that the exclusion of smaller allocations to some larger and more stable companies will lead to higher volatility and lower returns relative to less-constrained allocations. For a while they were right.

Common ESG Investing Misconceptions Debunked

For some time, investors have been using their investment dollars to try to make a change in the world. One option is to focus on green investing, where the emphasis is avoiding environmentally dangerous companies and instead investing in those with greater sustainability efforts.

Why Asian Investors Are Waking Up to ESG Data

The fact that ESG data is becoming an integral part of many fund managers’ processes is not new information – but a recent roundtable event in Singapore illustrated that institutional investors in Asia are also ramping up their interest in the investment discipline.

 

United States & Europe
 

In First Speech, Fed’s Barkin Backs U.S. Rate Rises Amid Strong Economy

U.S. interest rates have room to rise further given the remarkable strength of the U.S. economy, the Federal Reserve’s newest regional Fed president said on Monday in his first major speech on monetary policy since he was appointed.

Brexit: Peers Call for UK to Remain in European Economic Area

The House of Lords has backed calls for the UK to effectively remain in the EU’s single market after Brexit.

 

Developing Economies
 

Fair Progress? Economic Mobility across Generations around the World

If you are born into a low-income family, what are the chances that you will rise higher regardless of your background? The ability to move up the income ladder, both in one’s lifetime and with respect to one’s parents, matters for fighting poverty, reducing inequality, and even for boosting growth.

Powell Says Emerging Markets Equipped to Navigate Turbulence

The Federal Reserve’s gradual push towards higher interest rates shouldn’t be blamed for any roiling of emerging market economies, which are well placed to navigate the tightening of U.S. monetary policy.

Africa’s Economies are Turning a Corner

African economies often seem like victims of divine whimsy. Most of the continent’s workers are farmers, reliant on the rains. Much of its wealth comes from oil and minerals, at the mercy of markets.

A New Economy for the Middle East and North Africa

Despite its geopolitical challenges, the economies of the Middle East and North Africa have vast untapped potential in their young, educated, and tech-savvy populations.

Southeast Asian Digital Economy Emerges as a Beacon for Investors

American poet and civil-rights activist Maya Angelou’s immortal words, “In diversity, there is beauty and there is strength,” fit well with the cultural and industrial diversity of Southeast Asia. The diversity that is seen in the SEA markets is a magnet for investments.

India Ranks 4th in Asia-Pacific on Power Index

India has ranked fourth out of 25 nations in the Asia-Pacific region on an index that measures their overall power, with the country being pegged as a “giant of the future” but trails behind in indicators of defense networks and economic relationships.

Latin America and Caribbean: Seizing the Momentum

Growth in Latin America and the Caribbean is picking up, thanks to stronger demand at home, and a favorable global environment helped also by rebounding commodity prices.

Weekly Impact Investment Market Update: May 4, 2018

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Impact Investing & ESG
 

Investing to Make an Impact

The co-founder of an impact investing firm explains the growing intersection between Wall Street and the world of health.

The ‘Slippery Slope’ of ESG Demands

“We have to earn a return,” Ontario Teachers’ CEO Ron Mock reminded Milken conference attendees, while MetLife’s CIO attested to exploding client demand for ESG integration.

Making a Positive Impact – On Financial Performance and on Society

This report is one of Deutsche Bank Wealth Management’s CIO Insights Reflection on ESG.

Environmental, Social, and Governance Assessment and Engagement in Emerging Markets Debt

ESG factors can be particularly important to credit quality in emerging markets fixed income. This especially applies to quasi-sovereign issuers that are exposed to both sovereign and corporate risks.

The Case for Investing in Green Companies

For investors focused on profit, investing in environmentally friendly firms may not seem like the most lucrative strategy. They may worry that adopting greener practices could hurt a company’s share price.

Why Responsible Investing is Not Limited to ESG

Advisors would do well to include morally responsible investing in their array of SRI offerings.

New Issue Areas Attracting Impact Investors, and Why

The impact investment community has a unique mantle of responsibility that is one part of a symbiotic relationship with the responsibility of consumers. As consumers, it is beholden unto us to purchase products that reflect our values, in turn affecting where investors look to spend their investment dollars.

 

United States & Europe
 

Nine Days, One Signal: U.S. Economy is Doing Fine if Not Great

The data deluge that swept over the U.S. economy since the middle of last week can be boiled down in one message: Lofty expectations, but more down-to-earth numbers.

U.S. Unemployment Rate Falls to 3.9% as Economy Adds 164,000 Jobs

The U.S. economy added 164,000 jobs in April, the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday, missing analysts’ average estimate for a gain of 192,000. The unemployment fell more than expected, to 3.9%, after holding at a 17-year low of 4.1% for six straight months.

EU Predicts Bright Outlook for Economy, Tougher Times for UK

Economic growth across the European Union will remain robust this year and next, particularly when compared with Britain, which is set to leave the bloc in less than a year, the EU’s executive branch said Thursday.

 

Developing Economies
 

Nigeria, China Sign $2.4 Billion Currency-Swap to Lift Trade

Nigeria and China agreed on a currency-swap worth $2.4 billion to boost commercial ties and reduce the need to use the dollar in bilateral trade.

South Africa’s Trade Balance Returns to a Surplus in March

South Africa’s trade balance returned to a surplus in March as exports of metals and vegetables climbed, while imports of minerals products declined.

Weekly Impact Investment Market Update: April 27, 2018

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Impact Investing & ESG
 

More Research Needed on Using ESG in Fixed-Income Investing – GPIF, World Bank

Further research and development about incorporating environmental, social and governance factors into fixed income is needed to increase ESG fixed-income investing, said a new report from Japan’s ¥162.8 trillion ($1.5 trillion) Government Pension Investment Fund and the World Bank Group.

Commentary: Impact Investing Goes Mainstream

Impact investing is coming of age. Earlier in this decade, this new style of investing raised the question of whether socially conscious investors could really do well while doing good. Today, while we are still early in the journey, we think the answer to the question is clearly yes.

This AI Tool Could Revolutionize Impact Investing

David Shrier left MIT after adopting the school’s mission and applying it to his artificial intelligence startup, Distilled Analytics. He’s hoping to disrupt impact measurement for companies and investors alike with the company’s new product, Distilled Impact.

Social and Sustainable Investing Gets a Boost from an Unlikely Source: Wall Street Activists

Several high-profile activists – including Cliff Robbins of Blue Harbour Group and Barry Rosenstein of Jana Partners – see environmental and social factors as profit plays.

Impact Investing Comes Into Its Own

In 2010, INSEAD’s Global Private Equity Initiative started to explore the nascent trend of responsible investing. In 2014, it published its first report on environmental, social and governance factors within the private equity context. Four years hence, the industry has evolved significantly.

 

United States & Europe
 

U.S. Economy Grew by 2.3% in First Quarter, Easing Slightly

The economy grew at an annual rate of 2.3 percent in the first quarter, the government reported Friday, offering a preliminary glance at how last year’s sweeping package of tax cuts is affecting consumers and businesses this year.

Developing Economies
 

The Best-Performing Emerging Market Readies a New Eurobond

Angola, whose Eurobonds have outperformed those of all its emerging-market peers this year, is readying a new dollar transaction to take advantage of higher oil prices and a new program with the International Monetary Fund.

Ethiopia is Now Africa’s Fastest Growing Economy

Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populated country, is forecast to be the fastest growing economy in Sub-Saharan Africa this year, according to new data from the IMF.

Chile, Argentina Investing Suddenly Looks Better

Exchange traded funds for Chile and Argentina are holding up, providing an investing escape while the U.S. stock market contracts.

Mexico Fully Expects to Reach a Consensus on NAFTA Trade Deal

Alongside the U.S. and Canada, Mexico is in the midst of eight-month-old talks to try to update the NAFTA deal — which is thought to underpin about $1.2 trillion in yearly trilateral trade.

Weekly Impact Investment Market Update: April 20, 2018

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Impact Investing & ESG
 

The Finance Performance of Impact Investing Through Private Debt

The Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) and Symbiotics present the first comprehensive analysis of the financial performance of private debt impact investment funds.

ESG Ratings Can Help Investors Pick Winning Emerging Markets

Reports from Morningstar and GMO explain why investors and advisors should consider ESG factors when investing in emerging markets.

You Can’t Just Recycle if You Believe in ESG

The more investors pay attention to ESG, the more issuers will have to improve their behavior.

Is ESG on Course to Become the Norm in DC Defaults?

Late last year the UK government said it was “minded” to make pension fund trustees produce environmental, social and governance statements.

Emerging Market Debt Investors Wary of ESG Analysis

Investors in emerging market debt (EMD) are leery of environmental, social and governance (ESG) investment analysis because of “common misconceptions,” according to BNY Mellon.

Evan Harvey, Nasdaq: What’s Driving ESG? A Top Ten List

The prevalence and prominence of sustainability as a vital concept in the world – let alone the business community – is now clear. It has been driven by a host of dynamics that are both native to, and external from, business: environmental catastrophe and social crisis, economic disparity, and political dysfunction.

Shareholder Influence on Impact Investing

Investors are increasingly taking an interest in impact investing. What’s the value they see here?

The ESG Data Revolution

Adam Bernstein, ESG Specialist with Gitterman Wealth Management in New York believes “We are experiencing a non-financial, ESG data revolution.”

 

United States & Europe
 

Europe’s Depopulation Time Bomb Is Ticking in the Baltics

Young workers keep leaving for the west, while refugees from the Middle East and Africa are shunned. The UN sees a catastrophe lurking.

 

Developing Economies
 

IMF Sees Ethiopia Beating Ghana as Fastest-Growing Africa Economy

Ghana has lost its mantle as the African economy likely to grow the quickest this year to Ethiopia, which has held the position for most of the past decade, International Monetary Fund data showed.

India to Make South Asia the Fastest Growing

India’s recovering growth will drive South Asia to the fastest growing region, said World Bank’s biannual South Asia Economic Focus released on Sunday.

Latin America Has Become a Hot Spot for U.S. Deal Makers

U.S. executives named Brazil and Mexico, the two largest economies in Latin America, among their five most popular destinations for deal making, according to a new survey.

Weekly Impact Investment Market Update: April 13, 2018

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Impact Investing & ESG
 

Finding Emerging Market Stocks with Social Consciences

Until recently, investors interested in emerging market funds had few ways of singling out companies with standout environmental, social and governance records.

Family Foundations Beginning to Shame Public Companies to Invest More in ESG Causes

John D. Rockefeller founded Standard Oil Co., and as a result was the richest person on the planet when he died in 1937. Yet, some of his 200-plus living descendants have embarked on a mission to challenge Standard Oil offspring Exxon Mobil Corp. on climate change.

Bain Double Impact Calls a Trend: Sustainable Meals

The $390 million fund, headed by former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, is looking for what Patrick calls “big secular trends driving market opportunities around mission-driven brands and companies.”

Research Affiliates Bets ESG and Smart Beta are Two Great Tastes That Go Great Together

Smart-beta and sustainable investing were destined to meet in that kooky, belongs-together-forever kind of way found in romantic comedies. And now they finally have.

ESG and Diversity Aren’t Buzzwords…They’re Good Business

Scrutiny of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) policies, and analyses of boardroom diversity have predominantly been the province of mid- and large-cap institutional investors.

Danone Looking to Make World Better One Cup of Yogurt at a Time

Danone SA, the world’s biggest yogurt maker, notched a win in its quest to remake itself into the world’s largest socially responsible food company.

 

United States & Europe
 

Europe’s Double Opportunity

Europe has a decision to make. It can stand by as nationalism and authoritarianism flourish from the United States to China. Or it can lead a reinvigoration of democratic values and international cooperation, at a time when rapid technology-driven change demands major political, economic, and social reforms.

 

Developing Economies
 

Kenya’s GDP Growth to Rebound to 5.5 Pct in 2018 – World Bank

Kenya’s economy will grow 5.5 percent this year compared with an estimated 4.8 percent last year, thanks to better weather and less political risk after last year’s presidential election, the World Bank said on Wednesday.

World Bank Keeps Favorable Growth Outlook for East Asia & Pacific

In the April 2018 edition of its East Asia and Pacific Economic Update, the World Bank is cautiously optimistic about economic growth in developing East Asia and Pacific (EAP).

Southeast Asia: Export Boom Countries

Southeast Asian nations are benefiting from the return of global growth, with more room to grow capacity and exports—even as wages trend upward.

Weekly Impact Investment Market Update: April 6, 2018

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Impact Investing & ESG
 

How the World’s Largest Pension Invests in ESG

Socially responsible investing (SRI) is gaining steam at a rapid pace. What was a scarcely understood novelty several years ago has now become a necessity in every “know-your-client” discussion.

4 Ways the Financial Industry Fails Socially Conscious Investors

For years, financial institutions and advisors have dismissed socially conscious investing as the well-intentioned but misguided philosophy of naïve investors.

Saving the World: The ‘New Normal’ for Finance?

Amit Bouri is evangelical that members of his network, and many more like them, can right the wrongs of the world using the muscle of their money.

Is Impact Investing the Next Big Thing for Donor-Advised Funds?

Private foundations have been taking bolder steps toward impact investing in recent years. But with more individuals turning to donor-advised funds (DAFs) to facilitate their giving, how can those funds also be invested today to improve the world?

How Investors Influence ESG Reporting

We spoke with David Mordy, Director of Investor Relations for CenterPoint Energy (CenterPoint) for his perspective on how corporate Investor Relations Officers (IROs) are viewing the shift to Socially Responsible Investing (SRI).

 

United States & Europe
 

U.S. Economy Added 103,000 Jobs in March; Unemployment Rate Stays at 4.1%

The U.S. economy added 103,000 jobs in March, maintaining a steady track of growth, but wages barely budged, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday.

 

Developing Economies
 

Emerging Markets Get Thumbs Up After Staring Down Tough Quarter

Emerging-market stocks beat peers from developed nations in the first quarter as investors tangled with an escalation in trade tensions, a jump in bond yields and bank-funding costs, and a sell-off in technology stocks.

Latin America Under Tightening Global Liquidity Conditions: Emerging Markets in a Change Global Environment

Emerging-market assets enjoyed significant support from investors during 2017. An environment of economic-growth recovery with moderate inflation across developed markets combined with solid commodity prices and abundant liquidity searching for yield—all contributed to remarkable interest from international investors in EM securities.

Chile Economic Activity up 4 Percent Year-on-Year in February

Chile’s economic activity rose 4.0 percent in February from the same month a year ago, its largest increase in two years, the central bank said on Thursday.

Peru Names Economist Tuesta as Finance Minister

Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra will appoint an economist who was a director for Latin America’s CAF development bank as finance minister in a completely new cabinet he will swear in on Monday.

Weekly Impact Investment Market Update: March 29, 2018

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Impact Investing & ESG
 

ESG and Supply Chain: Why Both Matter

There has been a rapid shift in the world of corporate disclosure. In the past 12 months, we have seen investment giants writing to CEOs urging them to report on their long-term strategies and socio-environmental goals, and the world’s first gender pay gap reporting regulation coming into effect.

Capitalism’s New Formula: Capital + Purpose = Social Impact

This equation is the catalyst for our movement, which shares characteristics of major social and political movements in the last century.

Europe’s $38 Billion Carbon Market is Finally Doing Its Job

Europe’s $38 billion a year carbon market is finally starting to work the way it was intended, reining in pollution with a minimum of squealing from industry.

It’s Cool to be Kind: Family Offices and Impact Investing

The term “impact investing” celebrated its 10th birthday in 2017, a year where it seemed every other investment house launched a new fund offering to tap into the trend. But what does it really take to be an impact investor?

 

United States & Europe
 

U.S. Economy Grew Faster Than Previously Estimated in Q4

Gross domestic product climbed by 2.9 percent in the fourth quarter, reflecting an upward revision from the previously estimated 2.5 percent increase.

The Most Stable Economies in Europe
They’re not necessarily the ones you’d think of first.

German Jobs Bonanza Keeps Economy Swinging into Spring

Germany’s jobless total dropped more than expected in March and unemployment hit a record low, adding impetus to a labor market that has already become the linchpin of a consumer-led upswing.

 

Developing Economies
 

South Africa’s Economic Chief Hints at Privatization Drive

“Why not?” responded National Treasury Director General Dondo Mogajane, when asked by Reuters Saturday if it was possible for segments of South Africa’s publicly-owned firms to be sold.

Indonesia Continues to Build on Solid Economic Growth

Indonesia maintained strong economic growth in 2017 and the outlook continues to be positive, according to the World Bank’s March 2018 Indonesia Economic Quarterly.

Saudi Arabia Wins Emerging Status in Quest for Billions

Saudi Arabia won classification as an emerging market by a major index compiler for the first time, a key step toward the kingdom’s goal of attracting billions in additional stock investor inflows.

Spotlight Latin America: Key Trends and Challenges for the Region in 2018

The year 2018 is a particularly eventful one for Latin America.

Argentina to Sell $4.2 Billion Bond as Part of Provincial Fiscal Pact

Argentina said on Wednesday it plans to issue $4.2 billion in peso-denominated bonds at an interest rate of 6.73 percent as part of a fiscal pact signed late last year aimed at bolstering the financial position of the country’s provinces.