Benchmarks

Stocks tumbled in April by the most since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic as investors’ expectations grew that the Federal Reserve and other central banks will need to raise interest rates faster and higher to fight inflation.

This paper focuses on creating SDG portfolios that maximize exposure to one, two or all SDGs. The study shows that it is quite possible to create a portfolio that significantly improves the exposure to SDGs without taking on too much active risk. An optimizer can help manage that active risk.

Qontigo announced the results of the annual Country Classification review for STOXX indices.

The newly named AMUNDI STOXX EUROPE 600 ESG UCITS ETF DR fund meets increasing client demand for responsible-investing principles and will be classified as Article 8 under the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR).

The STOXX Global 1800 index rose 2.7% in dollars last month, with basic-resources and energy companies leading gains for a second consecutive month. The benchmark is still down 5.5% for 2022.

Stocks rebounded in March from two months of losses, helped by expectations of a resolution to the war in Ukraine. Basic-resources and energy companies paced gains for a second consecutive month.

Futures on the EURO STOXX Banks Dividend Points Index are trading between 7.9% and 23% below their pre-war prices, depending on the maturity, even as equity prices recover. Traders have raised expectations that a slowing economy may hit lenders’ ability to continue or increase their payments to shareholders.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine spooked equity investors around the world, but losses were not distributed equally across all sectors, with some industries even exhibiting positive returns. This opens up opportunities for more focused strategies such as thematic investing.

Changes were announced as part of the March regular review for the DAX 50 ESG, DAX ESG Target and DAX indices.

The STOXX Global 1800 index fell 2.6% in dollars last month, with only basic-resources and energy companies posting a positive return among 20 sectors. Climate indices struggle to match benchmark returns, while factor, dividend and minimum-variance strategies outperform.

Qontigo’s global index provider STOXX Ltd. has announced changes to the DAX index family, which will become effective on 21 March 2022.

Stocks fell in February as the military conflict in Ukraine and sanctions imposed on Russia prompted investors to sell shares in all industries except basic-resources and energy companies.