Impact Investing & ESG
Rise of the Rest Adds First Nine Portfolio Companies – and More Big Name Investors
The $150 million fund’s first nine investments include startups in Indianapolis, Columbus and Pikeville, Kentucky, among other places.
Overheard at The Economist’s New York Impact Investing Event
Headliners at the magazine’s second annual gathering seemed to find their voice in rebutting stubborn assumptions.
Global Banks: We’re Watching How You Finance the Low-Carbon Transition
Boston Common Asset Management calls out the laggards -and a few leaders- in the $12 trillion 2030 financing challenge.
ESG Gains Traction in Exchange-Traded Products
ESG exchange-traded products gained a lot of traction in 2016, a trend that carried into 2017.
Is ESG Investing Going Mainstream?
Despite advisers’ misgivings, asset managers are coming around to the idea that a company’s stance on environmental, social and governance issues is a good proxy for future success.
Merrill Edge Adds ESG Scores to Client Dashboard
Merrill Lynch is making impact investing a centerpiece of Merrill Edge, the firm’s digital investment service tailored to clients with less than $250,000 of investible assets.
REDD+ has emerged as a key approach for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries by providing a policy framework for increasing the value of standing forests.
How Green Banks Assess and Report Impacts
Green banks accelerate private investment in low carbon, climate-resilient (LCR) infrastructure, particularly clean-energy projects. Formed in December 2015, the Green Bank Network (GBN) fosters collaboration and knowledge exchange among green banks, which enables them to share best practices and lessons learned.
United States & Europe
Five Charts That Explain How European Banks are Dealing with Their Bad-Loan Problem
For European banks, it’s a headache that just won’t go away: the 944 billion euros ($1.17 trillion) of non-performing loans that’s weighing down their balance sheets.
Developing Economies
A Banner Year for Emerging Markets in 2017
One segment of the market that demonstrated this increase in risk appetite was Emerging market equities – experiencing their strongest performance since 2009.
The Future of Economic Convergence
The world is now facing what observers are calling a “synchronized” growth upswing. What does this mean for the economic “convergence” of developed and developing countries, a topic that lost salience after the Great Recession began a decade ago?
3 Emerging Market Risks Companies Should Watch for in 2018
Top leaders tend to focus more on status updates than on contingency planning. They devote far more time to internal execution and competitive risks than to external risks that can change the playing field. This means that many emerging market risks get cut from the senior leadership agenda.
Fastest-Growing African Economy is Even Bigger than It Seems
Ghana plans to publish overhauled economic data that will show its gross domestic product is bigger than currently estimated.
How Climate Change is Fueling Innovation in Kenya
A new generation of start-ups are working to help farmers in a region that faces myriad challenges.
Figures of the Week: Digitalization and Financial Inclusion in Kenya
According to Bloomberg, Kenya led all African countries in mobile money transactions—at $45.3 billion—through the year ending June 2017.
Namibia’s Roads Ranked the Best in Africa
The Roads Authority has announced that Namibia was once again accorded top position for having the best roads in Africa by the World Economic Forum.
Tanzania: Taking Stock of Reforms in Agricultural Sector
All eyes will be in Dodoma as stakeholders in agriculture will in a three-day conference from tomorrow take stock of reforms in the agricultural sector and plan development agenda of the sector.
What Inflation Fears? Asia Bond Markets Bet on Regional Rates Staying Low
Asia’s relatively stable bonds and money markets seem immune to the inflation fears that convulsed global equities recently, as investors bet the continent’s major economies will keep interest rates low as price pressures remain benign.
Now is the Time to Double Down on Argentina
Argentina’s economy is poised to experience solid growth as deregulation and economic liberalization deliver a sizable economic dividend.
Argentina: Macri’s Herculean Task
Argentina has made good progress in the past years, but a lot of work remains to be done.