Coronavirus leads to EM of two paces
The performance gap between East Asia and other emerging markets has never been greater than in the first five months of 2020. At first sight, the cause looks obvious: coronavirus. But in the background there is a different dynamic at play.
Ironically, the ranking of best-performing stock markets in 2020 is led by China, the country where the pandemic originated. Korea and Taiwan are also well on their way, and in any case doing much better than most other emerging markets (see graph below).
Schroders: How social inequalities have been brought into focus by Covid-19?
Covid-19 has highlighted the importance of the “S” of “ESG” (environmental, social and governance) in asset management, according to Anastasia Petraki, Schroders’ Head of Policy Research.
166% growth for LuxFlag’s ESG fund labels
ESG is becoming mainstream at an incredible pace. This is witnessed by the 166% growth in awarded ESG-labels for investment products by not-for-profit organisation LuxFlag over the past twelve months, says its general manager Sachin Vankalas in an interview with Investment Officer.
Investors flock to outperforming ESG funds
Whereas European equity funds suffered substantial outflows during the coronavirus crisis, their ESG counterparts held up much better. Moreover, the assets under management are now higher than at the start of the year. This is partly due to the arrival of investors who had never thought of ESG investing before, says Michael Lewis of asset manager DWS.
UBS AM: Can we turn this once in a lifetime disaster into an opportunity?
UBS AM: Can we turn this once in a lifetime disaster into an opportunity?
Luxflag webinar: ‘Pandemic increases need for ESG disclosure’
The coronavirus outbreak has increased the need for more granular ESG data. However, such data are still difficult to collect as they are often not disclosed by companies. This needs to change fast in anticipation of upcoming EU rules, said participants in a webinar on the topic organised by Luxflag on Wednesday.
Schroders: What can the Covid-19 crisis teach us about tackling climate change?
We already know how devastating climate change could be for the planet, so let’s ensure we learn the lessons from the current crisis.
Capital Group : US Mid-year Outlook: From recession to recovery
Expect a bumpy path for U.S. markets in 2020 as the economy comes back online, followed by a more solid recovery in 2021.
Covid-19 won't change UHNWI behaviour: Lombard’s Vanhoenacker
Contrary to the predictions of some that the pandemic will see a pull-back from globalisation, Jurgen Vanhoenacker, who heads the Sales and Wealth Structuring teams at Lombard International Assurance in Luxembourg, sees no signs of a reduced appetite for clients to live cross-border lives.
How a midcap fund managed to limit losses in 2020
The Echiquier Agenor SRI Mid Cap Europe fund managed to limit its losses year-to-date to only -0.47%, even as its net asset value had risen by 34% in 2019. The secret? A strong focus on ‘structural winners’ and strict valuation discipline, resulting in an exceptionally high cash position at the start of the coronavirus crisis.