Original, independent, thought leadership

Stocks, bonds and funds notched increases in November

The Bottom Line:  Stocks, bonds and sustainable mutual funds and ETFs gained in November as well as all selected ESG screened indices across asset classes. Stocks, as measured by the large cap S&P 500 Index, added another 5.6% last month after registering a gain of 8.1% in October Stocks and bonds both notched increases in […]

Stocks gained 8.1% in October, but bonds dropped 1.3% on higher rates

The Bottom Line:  The outperformance of selected ESG indices continue to narrow and long-term results are expected to converge and align with their conventional counterparts. Stocks bounced back in October with a gain of 8.1% while bonds gave up 1.3% as interest rates rose Stocks bounced back in October, benefiting from corporate earnings reports that […]

Stocks and bonds register steep declines in September 2022

The Bottom Line:  Registering their steepest 2022 declines so far, stocks and bonds dropped 9.21% and 3.48% while ESG indices continued to narrow outperformance spread. Stocks and bonds registered their steepest monthly declines so far this year in September The reality of higher interest rates that are now expected to continue well into 2023 (the […]

Sustainable stock and bond funds post an average gain of 6.5% in July

The Bottom Line:  Stocks and bonds were up while sustainable mutual funds and ETFs posted an average 6.50% total return, led by renewable energy funds. Stocks started the third quarter in better form after the declines suffered in the first half of the year with US stocks adding 9.2% and bonds posting a gain of […]

June stock market results bring on the worst first-half year in more than 50 years

The Bottom Line:  Stocks gave up 8.3% while bonds dropped 1.57% and sustainable funds posted an average -6.21% return around a wide range of outcomes. The broad stock market dropped 8.3% and recorded the second worst monthly decline so far this year Against a backdrop of high inflation expectations, rising interest rates, slowing growth and […]

Stocks and bonds recorded gains of 0.39% and 0.27% in May

The Bottom Line:  Stocks and bonds eked out gains in May while the relative performance of selected sustainable equity and bond indices trailed conventional benchmarks. The broad stock market, as measured by the S&P 500 Index, briefly traded in bear market territory but managed to eke out a narrow 0.39% gain in May The broad […]

Both stocks and bonds tumble in April 2022

The Bottom Line:  Stocks and bonds experienced the worst month so far this year while the relative performance of sustainable equity and bond indices improve. Stocks and bonds suffer through the worst month so far this year Concerns and uncertainties ranging from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, inflation, interest rates, continued labor shortages, supply chain issues, COVID […]

Research

Research and analysis to keep sustainable investors up to-date on a broad range of topics that include trends and developments in sustainable investing and sustainable finance, regulatory updates, performance results and considerations, investing through index funds and actively managed portfolios, asset allocation updates, expenses, ESG ratings and data, company and product news, green, social and sustainable bonds, green bond funds as well as reporting and disclosure practices, to name just a few.

A continuously updated Funds Directory is also available to investors.  This is intended to become a comprehensive listing of sustainable mutual funds, ETFs and other investment products along with a description of their sustainable investing approaches as set out in fund prospectuses and related regulatory filings.

Getting started

Many questions have surfaced in recent years regarding sustainable and ESG investing.  Here, investors and financial intermediaries will find materials that describe the various approaches to sustainable investing and their implementation.  While sustainable investing approaches vary and they have thus far defied universally accepted definitions, many practitioners agree that they fall into the following broad categories:  Values-based investing, investing via exclusions, impact investing, thematic investments and ESG integration.  In conjunction with each of these approaches, investors may also adopt various issuer engagement procedures and proxy voting practices.  That said, sustainable investing approaches will continue to evolve.

In addition to periodic updates regarding sustainable investing and how this form of investing is evolving, investors and financial intermediaries interested in implementing a sustainable investing approach will also find source materials that cover basic investing themes as well as asset allocation tactics.

Inesting ideas

Thoughts and ideas targeting sustainable investing strategies executed through various registered and non-registered sustainable investment funds and products such as mutual funds, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs), closed-end funds, Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Unit Investment Trusts (UITs). Coverage extends to investment management firms as well as fund groups. 

Independent source for sustainable investment management company research, analysis, opinions and sustainable fund disclosure assessments