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Monthly Sustainable Model Portfolios Performance Summary: September 2019

Model portfolios: Two of three sustainable model portfolios were eclipsed by their conventional benchmarks In a month when the performance of equities and bonds reversed positions as large cap equities, tracked by the S&P 500 Index, posted a total return gain of 1.87% while investment-grade intermediate bonds ended the month lower at -0.53% on the […]

Two of Three SUSTAIN Fund Indices Lagged: September 2019 Update

Performance of equities and bonds reversed positions in September as large cap equities posted a total return gain of 1.87% while investment-grade intermediate bonds ended the month lower at -0.53% The performance of equities and bonds reversed positions in September as large cap equities, tracked by the S&P 500 Index, posted a total return gain […]

SUSTAIN Indices Post Competitive Returns: August 2019 Update

Stock market registers -1.58% decline in volatile month while bonds blew the lights out and sustainable indices, for the most part, outperformed conventional benchmarks A volatile August ended the last week of the month as it began but with opposite outcomes, driven by trade tensions between the US and China, geopolitical uncertainties and signs of […]

Markets Take a Breather in July; 2 of 3 SUSTAIN Fund Indices Outperform

Markets take a breather in July: Domestic Sustainable Equity and Bond Indices beat conventional indices After posting a gain of 7.0% in June, stocks as measured by the S&P 500 Index, took a breather in July to end the month up 1.4%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq Composite each recorded gains of 1.12% […]

Sustainable Investment Funds Performance Scorecard: July 2019

Summary Gaining an average of 0.40%, sustainable bond funds exceeded the average performance of equity and related funds with their average gain of 0.24%. Stocks, as measured by the S&P 500 Index, took a breather in July to end the month up 1.4% following June’s gain of 7.0%. The Federal Reserve Bank lowered the target […]

June 2019 Sustainable Investment Funds Performance Scorecard

Summary Global markets across all major asset classes posted gains in June, notwithstanding trade concerns and fears of an economic slowdown.  Stocks and bonds in the US and overseas recovered from May’s declines to produce strong returns in June. Equity Funds and All Other Funds Gold and precious metals funds led the performance rankings for […]

SUSTAIN Indices Post Strong Results in June but Lag Conventional Benchmarks

Global markets across all major asset classes posted gains in June. Global markets across all major asset classes posted gains in June. Notwithstanding trade concerns and fears of an economic slowdown, stocks and bonds in the US and overseas recovered from May’s declines to produce strong returns in June, ranging from a low of -0.27% […]

May 2019 Sustainable Investment Funds Performance Scorecard

Summary Longer-term higher quality bond funds were the best performing fixed income funds in May while emerging market and high yield bond funds lagged behind. Returns ranged from a high of 4.32% to a low of -1.82%. In a challenging month for equities, the leading funds in the equity and all other funds segment included […]

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