PGGM goes one step further

The €109-billion PGGM has been one of the global leaders in allocating assets according to ESG criteria. Now it is taking the philosophy one step further and aims to measure how all of its investments have a positive influence on the state of the world by measuring “sustainable returns”. The Dutch pension-fund service provider claims … Read more

Debunking common myths about European distressed debt

  Monday 21 May 9:00 – 11:30 am The Codrington Room, Corinthia Hotel London Whitehall Place, London SW1A 2BD United Kingdom    Over the next several years, it is estimated that European banks need to dispose of approximately €2.5 trillion of non-core assets. The €800 billion “firewall” against sovereign debt default in Europe and long-term … Read more

NBIM approaches water with a filter

Water and how a company manages its exposure to this increasingly scarce resource is a key focus for Norway’s sovereign wealth fund in assessing the environmental and social performance of the more than 8000 companies in its portfolio. Anne Kvam, the head of Norges Bank Investment Management’s (NBIM) corporate governance team, says the sheer size … Read more

Money for water

The global scarcity of water continues to make headlines, but a water-themed investment approach is only just starting to make waves with large institutional investors. Estimates of the assets in equity funds in this niche corner of the investment world vary from about $3 billion to $6 billion in funds under management – a veritable … Read more

GMO’s Grantham bets against irrational markets

Supposedly long-term investors typically have the patience to wait about three years to see if an investment strategy will pay-off with managers needing to manage to their own and their client’s career risk tolerance, investment icon and Grantham, Mayo and van Otterloo (GMO) founder Jeremy Grantham says. In his quarterly letter to investors, Grantham says … Read more

Mercer: think laterally on bonds

The angst in Europe has calmed down, relatively speaking, but according to Mercer, it will be a long haul, with deleveraging there and in the US taking many years. Investors need to act accordingly. Part of the problem is that conventionally safe assets, such as US Treasuries, are expensive. “That will take years to work … Read more