In stock investing there’s a management style called “growth at a reasonable price” or GARP. It seeks to achieve steadier results by avoiding both expensive growth stocks and beaten-down value stocks.
The current debt ceiling debate in Congress is a great reminder that investors should always prepare for the unexpected and invest in companies that are durable enough to withstand a range of economic scenarios.
Six Wall Street banks are being pressed by a group of shareholders to move faster on reducing their financing of fossil fuels to meet global climate goals.
We turn fantastic conversations with clients into risk profiles, performance reports, and various financial documents that have little meaning to them and their values.
When should your firm begin to leverage a new offering, if at all? Let’s talk about ESG investing and share three strategies to help your firm discuss and market a new product or service in an authentic, practical, and distinctive way.
Ray Dalio, founder of the world’s largest hedge fund, has one.
We believe it is important to keep you informed on the latest proposals and regulations impacting the retirement industry, as well as implications to your business.
Vanguard Group, which quit the world’s biggest climate-finance alliance in December, was the only major ETF provider to post an increase in European assets last year thanks to its lower exposure to environmental, social and governance strategies, according to Morningstar Inc.
So-called greenwashing by asset managers misleads investors by labeling products with false claims of ESG benefits. But the SEC’s initiative to restrain this malpractice falls short because it does not distinguish between risk- and ethics-driven ESG products.
Big global banks are eying some of the world’s most fragile countries for a new experiment in financial engineering: debt relief in exchange for environmental protections.
Our 2022 ESG manager survey findings reinforced our belief that the integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors into investment processes is here to stay.
The California Public Employees’ Retirement System is making a $1 billion wager that small private equity firms without the heft of the biggest buyout institutions can boost the pension giant’s returns and clout.
Healthcare stocks have remained in vogue through volatile markets, driven by increased interest in the sector during COVID-19.
Although inflation appears to have peaked, historical data suggests that prices are unlikely to reverse themselves, which could lead to an extended period of wage inflation.
When the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, triggering the largest-ever oil spill in the US, all eyes turned to BP Plc, the British company behind the drilling. But BP wasn’t alone in the project.
European bond-market performance was among the worst on record in 2022, as Europe ran the gamut of geopolitical, economic and market storms.
The $6.5 trillion US ETF industry boomed in 2022 as innovative product debuts and market volatility fueled a near-record number of launches. But the fanfare revealed a major flaw in the space: the lack of women helming the funds.
Investors who use a 60/40 portfolio had a rough year. In the past, putting 60% in stocks and 40% in bonds has often helped investors hedge against losses in either asset class. But 2022 had other ideas.
Public and private real estate investments present a compelling opportunity in the current environment of high inflation and rising interest rates, according to Daniel Scher and Blair Schmicker from Franklin Equity Group.
The asset management arm of BNP Paribas SA said using a different interpretation of “sustainable investment” than some of its peers has allowed it to keep the European Union’s top ESG tag attached to about $20 billion worth of funds.
Crypto is squarely in the cross hairs of Washington regulators, with fresh calls for stricter controls before the industry can get big enough to affect the broader financial system.
Implementing technology that comprehensively supports every business objective is about a consultative, hands-on relationship with the vendor.
As the world economy prepares for a true transition to decarbonization, interest in renewable energy has re-emerged as an important topic for investors. This interview features Rene Reyna, who is head of thematic and specialty product strategy for the ETFs and Indexed Strategies teams at Invesco.
The following article provides an important perspective on Gen Z’s entrance into the workforce.
Structurally tight labor markets are providing support for tighter monetary policy, but the Fed may be fighting an uphill battle.
At a recent climate-finance meeting attended by Wall Street giants including BlackRock Inc. and Goldman Sachs Group Inc., no one spoke until a lawyer had finished reading out a disclaimer stating the group was not a cartel.
Stephen Dover, Head of Franklin Templeton Institute, shares his scorecard on some market prognostications for 2022, and what his team is watching in 2023—from blockchain to balanced portfolios.
As climate change moved higher on the Wall Street agenda, there had been fewer indications that financial giants took similar interest in the biodiversity crisis.
The US market for ESG-related products is less than half the size previously reported, according to the main umbrella organization for sustainable investing.
Emerging Markets (EM) assets were subject to three strong headwinds in 2022, namely, China’s zero Covid-19 and real estate crisis, aggressive interest rate tightening from the US Federal Reserve (Fed), and the Russia invasion of Ukraine.
President Joe Biden’s administration outlined a new rule in October whereby the Department of Energy could buy oil for future delivery — most likely 2024 — at fixed prices to refill the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
Asset managers are trying to digest new regulatory proposals that have the potential to upend Europe’s biggest ESG fund category.
Broad-market exposure meets sustainability. The S&P 500 ESG Index is a market-cap-weighted index that is designed to measure the performance of securities meeting sustainability criteria, while maintaining similar overall industry group weights as the S&P 500. Intentionally broad—including over 300 of the original S&P 500 companies—the index seeks to reflect many of the attributes of the S&P 500 itself, while providing an improved sustainability profile.
We’ve broken down nine of the best 529 plans.
As the debate heats up over ESG investing, fixed-income professionals say they need more data than what’s currently out there.
An alpha-oriented approach.
A rush of regulation and investor pressure is forcing companies to do a better job of tallying up the environmental impact of their operations and the products they sell. That’s stirring demand for software that helps businesses measure carbon emissions.
After a challenging 2022, it is time for investors to look forward to opportunities. Emerging Markets (EM) debt stands out as one place where investors can potentially take advantage of an underutilized asset class that offers attractive yields and diversification.
At Microsoft’s annual meeting on Dec. 13, shareholders will vote for the first time on whether to support an analysis of the climate risk posed by the company’s 401(k) retirement options.
If a crushing bear market, inflation-fueled volatility and slump in inflows was meant to cool the booming US exchange-traded fund industry, issuers never got the message.
There’s enormous scope for India and Greater China to increase GDP per capita relative to the U.S. and other developed nations
As global warming worries approach critical mass, corporate bond investors expect issuers to be part of the solution.
Emerging-market central banks face a Catch-22 where plunging economic growth means they can’t keep monetary conditions tight, but elevated inflation doesn’t allow them to halt rate hikes either.
After months of planning and negotiations, the biggest tranche of sanctions on Russian oil to date are about to take effect -- how big their impact will remain uncertain.
After years of uncertainty around how U.S. retirement plans could consider ESG factors, the dust is finally settling. It’s official: A Nov. 22 rule issued by the Department of Labor (DOL) allows retirement plans to consider financially material ESG factors when selecting investments and exercising shareholder rights.
Over the past 12 months, global container shipping rates have steadily declined to their long-term averages as supply chain snarls have receded and backups at ports have disappeared. Now, another segment of the cargo shipping industry is seeing day rates explode to record highs.
The asset management unit of BNP Paribas SA is stripping Europe’s top ESG designation from $16 billion worth of funds, adding to a tidal wave of reclassifications that the industry is blaming on unclear rules amid growing signs of anger from investors.
Ethical debt deals are set to become the majority in Europe’s market for corporate loans for the first time next year.
The top bosses of US oil and gas companies are speaking less and less about climate and carbon emissions, a signal that the industry’s public focus on ESG over the past couple of years may be fading.
Americans who work remotely, either full-time or part-time, can save between $2,000 and $7,000 in transportation and work-related costs. They can also gain back the equivalent of two to three weeks per year in commuting time.
Franklin Templeton recently hosted an investment forum in Singapore, and much of the dialog pointed to a growing gap in growth outlook emerging between Asia and the West.
A lack of reliable ESG data in emerging markets is proving a boon for some of the heavyweights of global finance.
Amundi SA is removing the European Union’s highest ESG designation from virtually all funds that once carried it, as it joins a growing list of investment firms that have been wrong-footed by a change in regulatory guidelines in the bloc.
In the race to build a North American hub to support the electric-vehicle industry and challenge China’s dominance, one tiny Quebec community is charging ahead.
Socially responsible firms pay more for the external audits of their financial statements, thereby lowering risks to investors. But those lower risks also mean lower returns for investors.
The amount of time between aircraft as they land at Toronto Pearson International Airport might seem prosaic to the untrained eye, but there’s a lot more going on than pilots negotiating the gentle return to earth of hundreds of tons of metal.
Our annual ESG manager survey of active managers assesses the integration of ESG considerations in investment processes among equity, fixed income and private markets managers, and spotlights firmwide policies, use of data, engagement and integration.
Financial market participants are asking for more regulations and better supervision to help rein in exaggerated ESG claims.
It’s official: the supply chain for electric vehicle batteries is coming to America.
Elaine Weir’s home doesn’t sit on a volcano. Nor is it surrounded by natural geysers. But that hasn’t stopped the 69-year-old retiree in Scarsdale, New York from heating her house with geothermal energy.
Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), climate and multi-asset implications—Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions examines the IRA from an investment lens.
The US, Japan and other countries will offer a climate finance deal worth as much as $20 billion to help Indonesia shift its coal-dominated power grid away from the polluting fossil fuel.
FTX, until recently the world’s second-largest crypto exchange, filed for bankruptcy as its embattled founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, stepped down as CEO following a liquidity crunch that exposed the firm’s improper use of customer assets.
There is a long history that proves ESG’s viability and more than 2,000 empirical studies that show little absolute difference in performance by adopting it as a criterion for analysis.
JPMorgan Asset Management, Invesco Ltd. and Dimensional Fund Advisors are among large money managers pushing back against proposals by US regulators to crack down on misleading fund names.
Europe’s top ESG fund class may be close to reaching a tipping point.
How could the poor world in the global south become as rich as the rich nations of the north?
Aligning your stated values and your spending (a core tenet of ESG investing) is something I encourage as part of financial wellness. But it isn’t always easy to do.
Few would disagree that the period from 1870-2010 saw immense technological advancements that improved our quality of life. But, according to Bradford DeLong, far fewer advances lie ahead, and societies should adapt by “slouching” away from a free-market system. He’s wrong on both counts.
So-called low-volatility portfolios are an apparent anomaly – they appear to offer higher returns with less risk (volatility). New research shows that they are indeed uncorrelated to sources of macroeconomic risk. But their popularity has driven up valuations, dampening the prospects for future returns.
I literally grew up in the oil patch: Wise County, Texas, 60 or 70 miles northwest of Fort Worth in a little town called Bridgeport. The two first-generation Greek immigrant brothers who became Mitchell Energy talked old man Christie into funding Christie, Mitchell and Mitchell and they drilled (hundreds?) of natural gas wells which they eventually sold to an Illinois utility. This was in the 1950s and ‘60s.
It has always been important to separate one’s political views from one’s investment portfolio.
It has been widely reported that President Biden made a plea to Saudi Arabia to increase oil production earlier this year in an effort to get oil prices down ahead of the mid-term elections.
Newton's First Law of Motion states that an object in motion tends to stay in motion unless an external force acts upon it.
Assets have flowed mightily into ESG funds, and new research shows that many corporations have changed their behavior, with benefits accruing to society at large.
Brent oil has dropped more than 30% from this year’s high, but you wouldn’t know it if you live in Paris, Mumbai or Accra.
Macro uncertainties and tightening financial conditions are pressuring the real estate investment market. Tim Wang, Head of Investment Research for Clarion Partners, discusses the challenges and opportunities in this current environment.
Balancing financial gain and personal values can be a challenge for investors. A fund of funds approach to impact investing can help to provide the best of both worlds.
Efforts to stockpile fuel mean Europe and Asia are approaching winter with healthy inventories as governments seek to counter shrinking supplies from Russia.
Here are a few ideas to find the perfect gift to show you care.
Some of the world’s biggest financial firms including BlackRock Inc. and Vanguard Group Inc. have told the UK they have no plans to halt the financing of new fossil-fuel supplies, in response to a list of questions sent by British lawmakers tasked with figuring out how the country can meet its own net-zero obligations.
Readers of a certain age will remember Carnac the Magnificent, Johnny Carson’s recurring alter ego.
Bank of America has positioned itself as one of the leading lenders in the green credit space, while peer Goldman Sachs is facing questions from the Securities and Exchange Commission over greenwashing claims.
For some bankers, net-zero is like a new year’s resolution—a pledge one makes and often breaks before a year has passed.
A well-established problem facing investors with an environmental, social and governance (ESG) mandate is the wide divergence of ratings assigned to companies by different vendors. New research shows that those stocks with the greatest divergence had higher performance.
The world’s largest beef producer joined a chorus of Cassandras this week signaling the end of alternative meats.
The worst may be behind gold mining stocks. Since hitting a 52-week low on September 26, they’ve risen about 18% and today notched their second straight week of positive gains.
Democracy is under attack, yet many Americans fail to see the threat, according to Seth Klarman. Leadership must come from the business community to respond to this challenge.
Direct indexing is the most powerful trend sweeping through the advisory profession. When done right, it lets clients build low-cost, tax-efficient, and highly customized portfolios. Those portfolios can track a broad market index or implement a factor-based strategy. They can follow an ESG or sustainability mandate. Here to discuss the latest developments in the direct indexing world are two members of Envestnet’s management team.
Equity market volatility persisted in the third quarter as investors came to terms with a new reality of high inflation and rising interest rates.
ESG
Growth Pains
In stock investing there’s a management style called “growth at a reasonable price” or GARP. It seeks to achieve steadier results by avoiding both expensive growth stocks and beaten-down value stocks.
Elephant in the Room
The current debt ceiling debate in Congress is a great reminder that investors should always prepare for the unexpected and invest in companies that are durable enough to withstand a range of economic scenarios.
Big Banks Told to Phase Out Financing of New Fossil-Fuel Projects
Six Wall Street banks are being pressed by a group of shareholders to move faster on reducing their financing of fossil fuels to meet global climate goals.
Client Values Matter More than Your Tech Stack
We turn fantastic conversations with clients into risk profiles, performance reports, and various financial documents that have little meaning to them and their values.
Three Strategies to Expand Your ESG Offerings
When should your firm begin to leverage a new offering, if at all? Let’s talk about ESG investing and share three strategies to help your firm discuss and market a new product or service in an authentic, practical, and distinctive way.
A Powerful New Tool Transforms How Billionaires Give Fortunes Away
Ray Dalio, founder of the world’s largest hedge fund, has one.
US Retirement Legislation and Regulation Bulletin: Fourth Quarter 2022
We believe it is important to keep you informed on the latest proposals and regulations impacting the retirement industry, as well as implications to your business.
Vanguard Gets Extra ETF Billions After Largely Shunning ESG
Vanguard Group, which quit the world’s biggest climate-finance alliance in December, was the only major ETF provider to post an increase in European assets last year thanks to its lower exposure to environmental, social and governance strategies, according to Morningstar Inc.
The SEC’s Misguided Fight Against Greenwashing
So-called greenwashing by asset managers misleads investors by labeling products with false claims of ESG benefits. But the SEC’s initiative to restrain this malpractice falls short because it does not distinguish between risk- and ethics-driven ESG products.
Wall Street's New ESG Money-Maker Promises Nature Conservation - With a Catch
Big global banks are eying some of the world’s most fragile countries for a new experiment in financial engineering: debt relief in exchange for environmental protections.
2022 ESG Survey Deep Dive: Active Ownership Review
Our 2022 ESG manager survey findings reinforced our belief that the integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors into investment processes is here to stay.
Calpers Makes $1 Billion Bet on Small Funds as New CIO Reshapes Pension
The California Public Employees’ Retirement System is making a $1 billion wager that small private equity firms without the heft of the biggest buyout institutions can boost the pension giant’s returns and clout.
Healthcare Stocks: An Innovative Antidote for Volatile Times
Healthcare stocks have remained in vogue through volatile markets, driven by increased interest in the sector during COVID-19.
Things Are Getting Sticky. Prices Always Have Been.
Although inflation appears to have peaked, historical data suggests that prices are unlikely to reverse themselves, which could lead to an extended period of wage inflation.
The Warren Buffett Way to Profit From the Energy Crisis
When the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, triggering the largest-ever oil spill in the US, all eyes turned to BP Plc, the British company behind the drilling. But BP wasn’t alone in the project.
European Fixed-Income Outlook: Stay High Quality in 2023
European bond-market performance was among the worst on record in 2022, as Europe ran the gamut of geopolitical, economic and market storms.
Women Rarely Manage ETFs. Meet the Team Looking to Change That
The $6.5 trillion US ETF industry boomed in 2022 as innovative product debuts and market volatility fueled a near-record number of launches. But the fanfare revealed a major flaw in the space: the lack of women helming the funds.
Is It Time To Rethink The 60/40 Portfolio?
Investors who use a 60/40 portfolio had a rough year. In the past, putting 60% in stocks and 40% in bonds has often helped investors hedge against losses in either asset class. But 2022 had other ideas.
Alternative Investments: The Case for Real Estate
Public and private real estate investments present a compelling opportunity in the current environment of high inflation and rising interest rates, according to Daniel Scher and Blair Schmicker from Franklin Equity Group.
BNP Defends $20 Billion ESG Call as Downgrades Feed Controversy
The asset management arm of BNP Paribas SA said using a different interpretation of “sustainable investment” than some of its peers has allowed it to keep the European Union’s top ESG tag attached to about $20 billion worth of funds.
From Crypto to ESG, These Are US Regulators' Top Priorities in 2023
Crypto is squarely in the cross hairs of Washington regulators, with fresh calls for stricter controls before the industry can get big enough to affect the broader financial system.
The Role of Service and Partnership in Selecting a Fintech Vendor
Implementing technology that comprehensively supports every business objective is about a consultative, hands-on relationship with the vendor.
The Outlook for Clean Energy Investing
As the world economy prepares for a true transition to decarbonization, interest in renewable energy has re-emerged as an important topic for investors. This interview features Rene Reyna, who is head of thematic and specialty product strategy for the ETFs and Indexed Strategies teams at Invesco.
An Argument for Optimism amid Pessimism: Talkin’ ‘Bout My Generation
The following article provides an important perspective on Gen Z’s entrance into the workforce.
Quiet Quitting? Quiet Firing? More Like Quiet Retiring
Structurally tight labor markets are providing support for tighter monetary policy, but the Fed may be fighting an uphill battle.
Vanguard Exit Has Lawyers Mapping Out Wall Street’s Top ESG Risk
At a recent climate-finance meeting attended by Wall Street giants including BlackRock Inc. and Goldman Sachs Group Inc., no one spoke until a lawyer had finished reading out a disclaimer stating the group was not a cartel.
What to Watch in 2023
Stephen Dover, Head of Franklin Templeton Institute, shares his scorecard on some market prognostications for 2022, and what his team is watching in 2023—from blockchain to balanced portfolios.
Why Is Wall Street So Hot for Biodiversity Right Now?
As climate change moved higher on the Wall Street agenda, there had been fewer indications that financial giants took similar interest in the biodiversity crisis.
ESG Market in US Significantly Smaller Than Earlier Thought
The US market for ESG-related products is less than half the size previously reported, according to the main umbrella organization for sustainable investing.
2023 Outlook for Emerging Markets, “A year of Two halves”
Emerging Markets (EM) assets were subject to three strong headwinds in 2022, namely, China’s zero Covid-19 and real estate crisis, aggressive interest rate tightening from the US Federal Reserve (Fed), and the Russia invasion of Ukraine.
It’s Time for Biden to Unleash His Mega Oil Trade
President Joe Biden’s administration outlined a new rule in October whereby the Department of Energy could buy oil for future delivery — most likely 2024 — at fixed prices to refill the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
Fund Managers Brace for ESG Correction With $4 Trillion at Stake
Asset managers are trying to digest new regulatory proposals that have the potential to upend Europe’s biggest ESG fund category.
S&P 500 ESG Index: Defining the Sustainable Core
Broad-market exposure meets sustainability. The S&P 500 ESG Index is a market-cap-weighted index that is designed to measure the performance of securities meeting sustainability criteria, while maintaining similar overall industry group weights as the S&P 500. Intentionally broad—including over 300 of the original S&P 500 companies—the index seeks to reflect many of the attributes of the S&P 500 itself, while providing an improved sustainability profile.
The Best 529 Plans for 2023 and Beyond
We’ve broken down nine of the best 529 plans.
ESG Investing’s Real Problem Is a Lack of Data, Fixed-Income Pros Say
As the debate heats up over ESG investing, fixed-income professionals say they need more data than what’s currently out there.
EM Corporate Debt ESG Integration
An alpha-oriented approach.
Microsoft, Salesforce Join Startups With Products to Track Emissions
A rush of regulation and investor pressure is forcing companies to do a better job of tallying up the environmental impact of their operations and the products they sell. That’s stirring demand for software that helps businesses measure carbon emissions.
Why Emerging Market Debt?
After a challenging 2022, it is time for investors to look forward to opportunities. Emerging Markets (EM) debt stands out as one place where investors can potentially take advantage of an underutilized asset class that offers attractive yields and diversification.
The Fight for ESG Retirement Options Is Kicking Off in Big Tech
At Microsoft’s annual meeting on Dec. 13, shareholders will vote for the first time on whether to support an analysis of the climate risk posed by the company’s 401(k) retirement options.
Hundreds of New ETFs Debuted This Year Even as Markets Suffered
If a crushing bear market, inflation-fueled volatility and slump in inflows was meant to cool the booming US exchange-traded fund industry, issuers never got the message.
India and Greater China: Exploring the Investment Opportunities
There’s enormous scope for India and Greater China to increase GDP per capita relative to the U.S. and other developed nations
Carbon Handprint: It's What Firms Don't Do That Counts
As global warming worries approach critical mass, corporate bond investors expect issuers to be part of the solution.
Emerging Markets Face Risk of Policy Error Amid Conflicting Priorities
Emerging-market central banks face a Catch-22 where plunging economic growth means they can’t keep monetary conditions tight, but elevated inflation doesn’t allow them to halt rate hikes either.
Europe Sets Russian Oil at $60 a Barrel: What Changes Now
After months of planning and negotiations, the biggest tranche of sanctions on Russian oil to date are about to take effect -- how big their impact will remain uncertain.
It’s Official: U.S. Retirement Plans Can Consider ESG Factors
After years of uncertainty around how U.S. retirement plans could consider ESG factors, the dust is finally settling. It’s official: A Nov. 22 rule issued by the Department of Labor (DOL) allows retirement plans to consider financially material ESG factors when selecting investments and exercising shareholder rights.
Crude Tanker Rates Could Reach a Jaw-Dropping $200,000 a Day Next Year
Over the past 12 months, global container shipping rates have steadily declined to their long-term averages as supply chain snarls have receded and backups at ports have disappeared. Now, another segment of the cargo shipping industry is seeing day rates explode to record highs.
ESG Fund Chaos Angers Investors as Greenwashing Concerns Mount
The asset management unit of BNP Paribas SA is stripping Europe’s top ESG designation from $16 billion worth of funds, adding to a tidal wave of reclassifications that the industry is blaming on unclear rules amid growing signs of anger from investors.
ESG Is Taking Over the Loan Market
Ethical debt deals are set to become the majority in Europe’s market for corporate loans for the first time next year.
Energy CEOs Hit Mute Button on ESG, Hinting at Fading Interest
The top bosses of US oil and gas companies are speaking less and less about climate and carbon emissions, a signal that the industry’s public focus on ESG over the past couple of years may be fading.
Thanksgiving Air Travel Demand Supported By Remote And Hybrid Work
Americans who work remotely, either full-time or part-time, can save between $2,000 and $7,000 in transportation and work-related costs. They can also gain back the equivalent of two to three weeks per year in commuting time.
Investing for the Next Decade
Franklin Templeton recently hosted an investment forum in Singapore, and much of the dialog pointed to a growing gap in growth outlook emerging between Asia and the West.
Fund Managers Find Alpha in 'Artificially Low' ESG Scores
A lack of reliable ESG data in emerging markets is proving a boon for some of the heavyweights of global finance.
Amundi Downgrades ESG Funds as Sector Faces $85 Billion Hit
Amundi SA is removing the European Union’s highest ESG designation from virtually all funds that once carried it, as it joins a growing list of investment firms that have been wrong-footed by a change in regulatory guidelines in the bloc.
EV Battery Heavyweights Revive City’s Dream of Factory Glory
In the race to build a North American hub to support the electric-vehicle industry and challenge China’s dominance, one tiny Quebec community is charging ahead.
Socially Responsible Firms Demand High-Quality Audits
Socially responsible firms pay more for the external audits of their financial statements, thereby lowering risks to investors. But those lower risks also mean lower returns for investors.
How an Industry Built on Pollution Is Getting a Tiny Bit Greener—and Faster
The amount of time between aircraft as they land at Toronto Pearson International Airport might seem prosaic to the untrained eye, but there’s a lot more going on than pilots negotiating the gentle return to earth of hundreds of tons of metal.
2022 Annual ESG Survey: The ESG Journey Accelerates
Our annual ESG manager survey of active managers assesses the integration of ESG considerations in investment processes among equity, fixed income and private markets managers, and spotlights firmwide policies, use of data, engagement and integration.
Capital Market Risks Trigger Calls for New Rules: ESG Survey
Financial market participants are asking for more regulations and better supervision to help rein in exaggerated ESG claims.
The Battery Supply Chain Is Finally Coming to America
It’s official: the supply chain for electric vehicle batteries is coming to America.
New York Startup Gives Homeowners a Way to Access Geothermal
Elaine Weir’s home doesn’t sit on a volcano. Nor is it surrounded by natural geysers. But that hasn’t stopped the 69-year-old retiree in Scarsdale, New York from heating her house with geothermal energy.
The US Prioritizes Climate Change
Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), climate and multi-asset implications—Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions examines the IRA from an investment lens.
US, Japan-Led Climate Pact Set to Offer Indonesia $15 Billion
The US, Japan and other countries will offer a climate finance deal worth as much as $20 billion to help Indonesia shift its coal-dominated power grid away from the polluting fossil fuel.
Midterm Outcome And FTX's Demise: An Unexpected Turn Of Events
FTX, until recently the world’s second-largest crypto exchange, filed for bankruptcy as its embattled founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, stepped down as CEO following a liquidity crunch that exposed the firm’s improper use of customer assets.
Let ESG Client Returns Speak for Themselves
There is a long history that proves ESG’s viability and more than 2,000 empirical studies that show little absolute difference in performance by adopting it as a criterion for analysis.
JPMorgan, Invesco Among Firms Railing Against SEC’s Names Rule
JPMorgan Asset Management, Invesco Ltd. and Dimensional Fund Advisors are among large money managers pushing back against proposals by US regulators to crack down on misleading fund names.
Asset Managers Hit by More Bad News on Top-Ranked ESG Funds
Europe’s top ESG fund class may be close to reaching a tipping point.
How to Meet Climate Targets: Leave No Economy Behind
How could the poor world in the global south become as rich as the rich nations of the north?
Aligning Values and Investing Easier Said Than Done
Aligning your stated values and your spending (a core tenet of ESG investing) is something I encourage as part of financial wellness. But it isn’t always easy to do.
Is the “Long Boom” of Technological Advancements Over?
Few would disagree that the period from 1870-2010 saw immense technological advancements that improved our quality of life. But, according to Bradford DeLong, far fewer advances lie ahead, and societies should adapt by “slouching” away from a free-market system. He’s wrong on both counts.
The Underlying Risk in Low-Volatility Portfolios
So-called low-volatility portfolios are an apparent anomaly – they appear to offer higher returns with less risk (volatility). New research shows that they are indeed uncorrelated to sources of macroeconomic risk. But their popularity has driven up valuations, dampening the prospects for future returns.
Turning Bullish on Energy
I literally grew up in the oil patch: Wise County, Texas, 60 or 70 miles northwest of Fort Worth in a little town called Bridgeport. The two first-generation Greek immigrant brothers who became Mitchell Energy talked old man Christie into funding Christie, Mitchell and Mitchell and they drilled (hundreds?) of natural gas wells which they eventually sold to an Illinois utility. This was in the 1950s and ‘60s.
Why China?
It has always been important to separate one’s political views from one’s investment portfolio.
Mr. President, Stop Begging For Oil & Unleash Texas
It has been widely reported that President Biden made a plea to Saudi Arabia to increase oil production earlier this year in an effort to get oil prices down ahead of the mid-term elections.
Newton’s Law of Stock Market Motion
Newton's First Law of Motion states that an object in motion tends to stay in motion unless an external force acts upon it.
Has ESG Investing Changed Corporate Behavior?
Assets have flowed mightily into ESG funds, and new research shows that many corporations have changed their behavior, with benefits accruing to society at large.
The World’s Oil Buyers Are Being Crushed by a Surging Dollar
Brent oil has dropped more than 30% from this year’s high, but you wouldn’t know it if you live in Paris, Mumbai or Accra.
Real Estate Investment Opportunities Amid Macro Uncertainties
Macro uncertainties and tightening financial conditions are pressuring the real estate investment market. Tim Wang, Head of Investment Research for Clarion Partners, discusses the challenges and opportunities in this current environment.
Impact Investing: How a Fund of Funds Approach Can Help Address Challenges
Balancing financial gain and personal values can be a challenge for investors. A fund of funds approach to impact investing can help to provide the best of both worlds.
Energy Hoarding in Overdrive Soothes Worries of Winter Shortfall
Efforts to stockpile fuel mean Europe and Asia are approaching winter with healthy inventories as governments seek to counter shrinking supplies from Russia.
Creative Holiday Gift Ideas
Here are a few ideas to find the perfect gift to show you care.
BlackRock, Vanguard Tell UK They Won’t Phase Out Fossil Fuel
Some of the world’s biggest financial firms including BlackRock Inc. and Vanguard Group Inc. have told the UK they have no plans to halt the financing of new fossil-fuel supplies, in response to a list of questions sent by British lawmakers tasked with figuring out how the country can meet its own net-zero obligations.
PayPal, Kanye And CBDCs
Readers of a certain age will remember Carnac the Magnificent, Johnny Carson’s recurring alter ego.
ESG Stock Watch: Green is Bank of America’s Favorite Color
Bank of America has positioned itself as one of the leading lenders in the green credit space, while peer Goldman Sachs is facing questions from the Securities and Exchange Commission over greenwashing claims.
Banks Try Quiet Quitting on Net Zero
For some bankers, net-zero is like a new year’s resolution—a pledge one makes and often breaks before a year has passed.
Higher Divergence in ESG Ratings Leads to Higher Returns
A well-established problem facing investors with an environmental, social and governance (ESG) mandate is the wide divergence of ratings assigned to companies by different vendors. New research shows that those stocks with the greatest divergence had higher performance.
The Plant-Based Meat Movement Is Down But Not Out
The world’s largest beef producer joined a chorus of Cassandras this week signaling the end of alternative meats.
Gold Mining Stocks Just Flashed a Bullish Signal
The worst may be behind gold mining stocks. Since hitting a 52-week low on September 26, they’ve risen about 18% and today notched their second straight week of positive gains.
Seth Klarman and the Threat to American Democracy
Democracy is under attack, yet many Americans fail to see the threat, according to Seth Klarman. Leadership must come from the business community to respond to this challenge.
The Latest Developments in Direct Indexing
Direct indexing is the most powerful trend sweeping through the advisory profession. When done right, it lets clients build low-cost, tax-efficient, and highly customized portfolios. Those portfolios can track a broad market index or implement a factor-based strategy. They can follow an ESG or sustainability mandate. Here to discuss the latest developments in the direct indexing world are two members of Envestnet’s management team.
Equity Outlook: Charting a Course Beyond Uncertainty
Equity market volatility persisted in the third quarter as investors came to terms with a new reality of high inflation and rising interest rates.