Original, independent, thought leadership
Images-stock market

Monthly Sustainable Portfolios Performance Summary: September 2018

Summary Buoyed by robust economic growth and strong corporate earnings, the S&P 500 Index eked out narrow gain of 0.57% in September even as US stock markets reached all-time new highs. Bonds closed the month lower, posting negative results of -0.66% but recording a slight third quarter gain of 0.01%. Positive fundamentals shift investor sentiment…

Home » Investing Ideas » Monthly Sustainable Portfolios Performance Summary: September 2018

Share This Article:

Summary

  • Buoyed by robust economic growth and strong corporate earnings, the S&P 500 Index eked out narrow gain of 0.57% in September even as US stock markets reached all-time new highs.
  • Bonds closed the month lower, posting negative results of -0.66% but recording a slight third quarter gain of 0.01%.
  • Positive fundamentals shift investor sentiment moving into month-end: US economic growth, strong corporate profits and strong consumer confidence overcame trade, inflation and interest rate concerns.
  • The SUSTAIN Equity Fund Index gained 0.52% in September and 7.71% in the third quarter, lagging behind the S&P 500 by 30 bps and 60 bps, respectively.
  • In contrast to equity funds, intermediate-term investment grade sustainable bond funds outperformed the Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Index in September, albeit by a narrow margin of 5 basis points.
  • Sustainable model portfolios lagged their respective indexes in September, posting results that range from a positive 0.21% to -0.37%.
  • Sustainable funds closed September at another high point at $321.9 billion, up $11.4 billion of which $10.9 billion, or 96%, is sourced to repurposed funds.

Buoyed by robust economic growth and strong corporate earnings, the S&P 500 Index eked out narrow gain of 0.57% in September even as US stock markets reached all-time new highs
Performance in September across asset classes, geographic regions and styles covered a narrower 16% arc that ranged from a high of 6.85% posted by the price of Brent crude oil to a negative -9.1% recorded by the MSCI India Index.

This article is part of premium content


To read full article, please log in or sign up for a free trial

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
$99.99
PER YEAR

Premium Articles Access Priority Support 1 Fixed Price

Free Trial
30 Day

Access to All Data No Credit Card Required Cancel Any Time

9.99
Monthly

Access to Premium Articles Priority Support Save 25%


Sign up to free newsletters.


By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact

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