New Sanctions Regime Expands Frontiers of Financial Crime The wave of sanctions following the Russian invasion of Ukraine is a punctuation point in the fight against financial crime. Meanwhile, the massive expansion in sanctions has coincided with a burst of activity on the part of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global
Sustainable Funds Labelling Under Examination The public appetite for sustainable investment is by now well understood and something that is uppermost in the minds of those responsible for the marketing of investment fund products. But the ability of concerned investors looking to target funds that adhere to environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) standards
Active Investing Remains the Foundation of Fund Management Rock-bottom fees have propelled the popularity of passive funds over recent years but there are many reasons why active management will always have primacy in the business of fund management. Active fund management rallied in Europe in January, with mutual fund inflows of some USD 50
Banks Slow to Act on Climate and Environmental Disclosures As momentum builds internationally for meaningful climate-related and environmental disclosures, an ECB report finds that European banks have made slow progress. Additionally, where disclosure is made, there is a marked lack of substantiation behind the figures. Europe’s banks have made little progress on climate-related and
Regulator Concern at Online Investor Vulnerability Both the European Commission and the SEC have expressed concern over the rise of “gamification” of retail investing and indications are that enhanced investor protection regulation is inevitable. It was just over a year ago that the global stock markets witnessed one of the most unusual phenomena
CBDC: Central Banks Mobilize to Retain Control Over Monetary Sovereignty The Covid crisis was just one of a number of factors that challenged traditional notions and habits around money. New technology has already transformed people’s relationship with legal tender but more profound questions over “ownership” of money and payments systems are emerging. Against
Why financial education is key to capital markets development One year after the “memestock” phenomenon, efforts in Europe to build a retail investment culture are taking place just as a wave of new digital investment platforms appears. But, as the Securities and Exchange Commission expresses concern at online gamification of investment, is the industry
Greenflation: Why the Energy Transition is Sending Commodity Prices Soaring As the world embraces commodity-hungry green technologies, demand for metals and minerals is soaring. Yet the push to protect the environment is also constraining investment in new mining and extraction projects. The result is rapidly rising prices for energy, minerals, and metals. This
Banks Seek to Implement Sustainable Finance Strategies Under pressure from clients and regulators, banks are trying to adopt new strategies designed to channel funding into sustainable economic activities. But the process has been challenging and uneven. A lack of clarity on key definitions and a shortage of necessary data have made it difficult for
European Funds Warn of Greenwashing Epidemic Amid Confusion Over Sustainability Disclosure Rules As European asset managers scramble to implement the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), they are warning of a significant risk of greenwashing. With little clarity on what makes a fund “sustainable,” it is possible that asset managers may mislabel
