Market trends

The STOXX® Global 1800 index jumped 4.3% last month, for a 21.1% advance in 2021, as the Omicron coronavirus variant was reported to lead to significantly lower levels of hospitalizations than previous types. Despite lockdowns, ongoing travel restrictions and supply-chain bottlenecks, the STOXX Global 1800 index finished last year 37% above its pre-pandemic peak in February 2020.

On November 26, the STOXX Global 1800 Index fell the most since September 2020 after South Africa reported the existence of a new variant of the COVID-19 virus that may have a higher infection risk than previous types. Value and Travel & Leisure stocks led the retreat during the month.

The STOXX Global 1800 Index climbs 5.4% in month when measured in dollars and including dividends, led by US and European markets. Factor, thematic and dividend strategies struggle to catch up with strong showing from benchmarks.

The STOXX Global 1800 Index falls 4% in month when measured in dollars and including dividends. The US Federal Reserve indicates it may raise interest rates as early as next year amid signs that a spike in inflation could last longer than previously thought. US and European stocks drop in the month, led by Momentum, basic-resources and high-dividend shares.

The STOXX® Global 1800 Index gains 2.5% in dollars in August, lifting this year’s advance to 17.5%, amid economic optimism and expectations that interest rates will remain low. The VSTOXX® index, the gauge of European equity volatility, remains higher than it was before COVID-19 hit financial markets in the first quarter of 2020.

The futures are the world’s most popular sustainability-focused derivatives and have seen increasing demand as investors and traders turn to ESG-compliant instruments to hedge and manage portfolios. The ESG derivatives space at Eurex has beaten records in daily and monthly traded contracts this year.

The STOXX® Global 1800 Index gains 1.6% in dollars in July as investors’ optimism about economic and earnings growth outweighs concerns that a new variant of the COVID-19 virus may slow down the recovery. Asian stocks fall as China tightens regulation over some industries.

The world’s share of responsibly managed assets continued to expand in the two years through 2019, according to one of the most comprehensive industry studies. US-based ESG assets jumped 42% during the period. In Europe, sustainable assets dropped amid higher standards of what constitutes an ESG investment.

The first annual ESG survey from the Index Industry Association (IIA) shows asset managers are preparing for sustainability principles to take a more significant role across their portfolios. It also points to significant challenges including the lack of data standardization, and says indices have a critical role to play in facilitating the adoption of ESG strategies.

An annual study by IHS Markit and the German Investor Relations Association reveals a diverse and global structure in DAX shares ownership. In a volatile 2020, US- and UK-based institutional investors increased their presence in the German benchmark’s stock universe, while domestic investors continued to pull out.

The STOXX® Global 1800 Index gains 1.5% in dollars in June and jumps 4.6% in euros following a rally in the greenback. Investors turn to Momentum stocks during the month but snub high-dividend shares. Equity volatility continues its march lower.

The contracts are part of an expanding family of sustainability-focused listed derivatives designed to tap increasing demand as investors turn to ESG-compliant instruments to manage portfolios.