Latest Posts
Impact investing: a new strategy for overcoming environmental challenges
Impact investments are currently hot property in the financial sector. Impact funds are investments that are meant to generate positive, measurable social and environmental effects in addition to financial return.
Saving the world with an impact fund?
Can sustainable investment change the world? What is impact investing, and what does Erste AM offer in this respect? Do only sustainable investors make an impact, or do all investments have an impact on the future? Impact funds – the cherry on the cake of sustainable investing? For a long time, it would be up […]
Sustainable finance – an (overdue) act of re-orientation?
In general terms, impact investments are investments that bring societal benefits on top of financial yield. This topic therefore offers a great opportunity to talk to experts about the effects of investments on society. This is why Erste Asset Management also has an internal forum, where ESG topics, sustainability aspects, and climate risks are periodically […]
Focus on ESG risk – the EU approach
From the coldest winter in Beijing’s recorded history to the storm in Texas that surprised the world – extreme weather phenomena remind us again and again of the invasion of climate change into our daily routine. Climate risk can no longer be ignored and has to be taken into account in asset management as well. […]
Changes to the investment universe, March 2021 – June 2021
Actual / nominal 2.100 Admitted Aker Horizons AS (sector: renewable electricity (renewable energy)), ESGenius score 53 (03/2021); invests in, and develops, companies in the field of renewable energy and other technologies that contribute crucially to the reduction of CO2 emissions. Majority investments in the listed companies Aker Carbon Capture AS and Aker Offshore Wind AS […]
Social impact via engagement
Impact investment More and more investors want to invest their money responsibly and sustainably – not only to create additional inflows, but also to create an “impact”. As a result, the demand for so-called impact funds has increased substantially in recent years. Especially young people, who until very recently had little interest in investment funds, […]
Impact bonds are here to stay
It started with the first climate awareness bonds of the European Investment Bank. Even back then, the issue proceeds were earmarked for explicitly sustainable projects of the supranational bank. In recent years, the volume of such bonds has increased rapidly. The issue volume rose from USD 300bn in 2019 to USD 500bn in 2020. The […]
Hedge fund Archegos Capital’s default causing a big stir
Hedge funds have often been talked about in the past because a failure of their sometimes risky investment strategies can trigger chain reactions in the financial industry and the markets, as was the case recently with Archegos Capital. But hedge funds often take on an important role with their alternative investment strategies. Read more on our blog.
How are global equity markets doing?
The global stock markets got off to a strong start into the new year and continued to gain, which means that the bull market has now lasted for almost a year. However, the market structure has changed significantly in the past few months. Our equity expert Tamás Menyhart analyzes the current situation.
Are dividend shares “in” or “out”?
Dividend shares have been sidelined by investors in recent years. At the moment, however, their valuation is significantly more attractive than that of the Growth segment, making them worth a serious consideration.
New turbulences in Turkey
Erste Asset Management fund manager Anton Hauser, specialist for emerging markets bonds, analyses the status quo of the Turkish financial markets after the surprising dismissal of the Turkish central bank governor by President Erdogan.
What does the term “SPAC” mean?
A differently designed path to the stock exchange has gained in importance since 2020. The term for this is SPAC (“Special Purpose Acquisition Company”). What’s behind it?
US and Europe restarting joint efforts in fight against climate change
The USA and the EU are back on the same page as new President Joe Biden takes office. The new US climate envoy John Kerry, on his first visit to Brussels in this role, underlined the importance of the renewed climate alliance with Europe. “We are committed to renewing our strong alliance in the fight against the climate crisis,” the former US Secretary of State said in a joint statement with EU representatives last Wednesday.
The EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation and its impact
Today the EU Disclosure Regulation comes into force. This is intended to create transparency with regard to the inclusion of sustainability risks in financial investment products. What does the regulation include and what do we do as a fund company?
Yield curve management
In recent days, equities and other risky asset classes have come under pressure despite the fact that in the year to date the optimism about an economic recovery has been on the rise. Is that a case of “buy the rumour, sell the fact”? Had the good news already been priced into the market? Or is there another mechanism that could be driving the future development?
Emerging Markets corporate bonds: sustainability turns into a factor of success for investments
Corporate bonds from emerging markets: environmental focus and calling out companies on their sustainability efforts are turning into a success factor. Senior professional fund manager Péter Varga explains the latest trends and developments.
Hopes for upswing continue to drive oil and industrial metal prices higher
Hopes for an economic recovery, but also the latest inflation fears, have recently fuelled the price rally on the commodity markets, with prices for crude oil and industrial metals continuing to soar. Several metal prices recently rose to multi-year highs.
How are stock markets currently reacting to increases in yields?
Central bank targets for inflation may be met earlier than expected in some countries. This environment has led to an increase in government bond yields. We explain how it came about.
China 2021 – the year of the ox
2021 is the year of the ox, which is associated with strength, harvests and fertility. After the turbulent year 2020, there are good reasons to look forward to returning to normalcy and development in the year of the ox. This is particularly true for China.
EU Commission lowers growth forecasts for 2021, but is more optimistic for 2022
In view of the still rampant Corona pandemic, the EU Commission has recently lowered its growth forecasts for 2021. With the delays in some EU countries’ vaccination programmes, the lockdowns could also drag on, delaying the expected economic recovery, the Commission argues.
“Environmentally friendly technologies will be growing for years”
Technologies – and, in particular, environmentally friendly ones – were THE big narrative on the stock exchanges last year. The upward trend of these companies continues in view of the clear political cues. Interview with Clemens Klein, Senior Professional Fund Manager.
What are the characteristics of a good sustainability fund?
The strong market growth in recent years of sustainable investment products has produced a variety of investment strategies that makes it hard to recognise such investments at first glance. Is there any relief in times where every player on the financial market is talking about sustainability? Guest commentary by Roland Kölsch, Qualitätssicherungsgesellschaft Nachhaltiger Geldanlagen.
GameStop – what is a short squeeze?
The stock of the computer game seller GameStop has become synonymous with the trial of strength between retail investors and large hedge funds. Head of Global Strategies & Research Alexander Sikora-Sickl explains the situation and the term short squeeze
What is behind the skyrocketing performance of Bitcoin?
Bitcoin has achieved an average performance of 142% p.a. in the past five years. Some criticise the high level of volatility but forget about the potential. Many wonder whether, after the dramatic increase, one could still enter the market or whether that ship has sailed. In the following article Crypto Asset Specialist Harald Egger discusses the reasons that have led to the rally of Bitcoin in recent months.
Tokens and coins: how cryptocurrencies differ from each other
According to industry sources, all of the Cryptocurrencies combined recently hit the $ 1,000Billion. Our Senior Research Analyst Harald Egger goes into the individual coins and tokens that are currently in circulation.
US earnings season gets off to a positive start, Netflix with record figures
On the world’s stock exchanges, earnings season in the USA is being followed with great interest. During this period, almost all major listed US companies report on their past financial quarter and give an outlook for the coming year.
USA: Clear sailing for Joe Biden’s economic programme after winning Senate majority
After the Democrats’ success in the Senate run-off elections in the US State of Georgia, the party now has the de-facto majority in both chambers of Congress, and therefore US President-elect Joe Biden should soon have much more leeway for implementing his economic policy programmes.
Covid Vaccines – From Race to Chase
Covid vaccine distribution has begun in much of the developed world. Politicians, commentators and citizens criticize the slow start to immunizations. But like the Tour de France: What counts is not who wears the yellow jersey during the first stage, but who crosses the finish line first at the end. Three factors are crucial to that: vaccine supply, vaccine distribution and, most importantly, vaccination acceptance.
The best funds of 2020
A turbulent year at the stock exchange has come to a conciliatory end. Those who were invested in funds in 2020 were able to achieve increases in value despite the pandemic and lockdown. Read more about the best funds of 2020 in today’s blog.
ECB and European Parliament get crisis programmes for 2021 on track
As the year 2020 comes to a close, the European Central Bank (ECB) and the European Parliament have put their respective programmes for the fight against the crisis on track for next year. The MEPs recently approved the approximately EUR 1.1tn Community budget for the next seven years, which includes EUR 750bn in Corona aid.
Erste Asset Management regards economic recovery as driver of the capital markets in 2021
We are looking back on a turbulent investment year. After the slump in February and March, we saw a strong recovery on the markets almost across all asset classes. CEO Heinz Bednar and CIO Gerold Permoser give an outlook for the capital markets in 2021.
OPEC+ haggling over production restrictions at ongoing meeting
The eyes of the international business world are currently fixed on Vienna. At the OPEC headquarters in downtown Vienna, the oil cartel’s member states and its allies are currently haggling over production volumes, and thus the further development of oil prices, via video conference.
The free trade agreement RCEP – A historic milestone
At a time when Covid-19 is ravaging the global economy, 15 Asia-Pacific countries signed the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) at a virtual Summit on November 15. The RCEP is a meaningful achievement for regional cooperation and a historic milestone in the globalization process.
“Our funds lead companies to engage more actively with sustainability”
Can investment companies contribute to making the world a better place? Walter Hatak, Head of Sustainable Investments with Erste Asset Management (Erste AM), responds with a resounding “Yes – but only with the help of our clients!” More and more client assets go towards climate-friendly companies, while at the same time Erste Asset Management uses its votes from the shares it has invested the clients’ funds in to elicit more sustainability from companies across the board.
Turkey: Erdogan combats crisis with new economic programme after change of staff
After unexpected replacements of the head of the central bank and the finance minister, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently declared war on the inflation and currency depreciation in his country with a new economic programme. In doing so, Erdogan is radically turning away from his previous economic policy line by relying on foreign investment and monetary stability.
COVID-19 Update: Moderna reports preliminary results from phase 3 vaccine trial
U.S. biotech company Moderna reported positive results from the first interim analysis of its Covid mRNA vaccine candidate. The IA found that of the 95 identified Covid cases in the study population 90 occurred in the placebo group, thus yielding a vaccine efficacy of 94,4%.
“Megatrends work“: One-year anniversary of ERSTE FUTURE INVEST – a positive look back
These days a fund that has drawn the attention of many investors is celebrating its first birthday: the megatrend fund ERSTE FUTURE INVEST. The performance to date is respectable. Despite the corona pandemic, the fund has recorded comfortable gains, outperforming important stock exchange indices.
Covid Vaccine: Pfizer, BioNTech and the beginning of the end?
In a press release on November 9, Pfizer gave a first taste of the results of the Phase 3 study of the Covid vaccine, which was jointly developed with German biotech company BioNTech. With an estimated efficacy of 90% and the start of the vaccination campaign possibly as early as January 2021, there is light at the end of the tunnel. But some hurdles still remain.
A Black Mink Event – COVID-20
In the USA the fight for the White House is still raging. Meanwhile, in Copenhagen, 9,000 kilometers away, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen declared that all minks in the country would be killed to contain the spread of a new SARS CoV-2 variant. What is a Black Min Event?
Emerging markets corporate bonds: numerous recovery candidates in case of improving corona crisis
Emerging market corporate bonds are an interesting asset class in the current low-rate environment. Péter Varga, Senior Professional Fund Manager at Erste Asset Management, answers the key questions on the current environment.
OMV’s Climate Path 2050
Growing demand for energy and accelerating climate change pose immense challenges for the energy sector. The key lies in finding the balance between climate protection efforts, affordable energy, and reliable supply. In a guest commentary. Dr. Eric Schmiedchen explains OMV’s climate path.
Sustainable performance via engagement and dialogue
The topic of sustainability offers a great opportunity to discuss the question of engagement. By engagement, we understand the dialogue between investors and shareholders and the respective companies in order to suggest changes and to bring them about in a targeted fashion.
ADDED VALUE FOR (WO)MAN AND NATURE: Sustainable investments for a better tomorrow
The coronavirus pandemic is currently a challenge to the entire world, but the climate crisis has not lost any of its urgency either.
Sustainability – a critique of a success story
The term “sustainability” can be found in the 2019 annual reports of all 20 ATX companies – and usually more often than terms like “profit” or “efficiency”. What the reference to sustainability means specifically is not always clear.
How do rating agencies assess sustainability?
To many companies, ESG is still a relatively new field, which is why it is important to understand how rating agencies evaluate sustainability and how the approach has changed over the years.
Global economic slump less severe than expected, but still the worst recession in decades, according to IMF
According to current forecasts by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the global economy should be able to handle the consequences of the corona pandemic somewhat better than has been feared. In its eagerly awaited global economic outlook for this year, the IMF now expects global economic output to decline by only 4.4 per cent. The IMF has thus adjusted its last forecast from June by 0.5 percentage points.
The new economic paradigm: cheap money and a very active State
The economic paradigm – the leitmotif, as it were – has only changed twice in the past 200 years: in the 1930s from liberalism to Keynesianism, and in the 1970s to monetarism. Since the Great Financial Crisis in 2008, we have noticed a new economic upheaval, which has now crystallised into a new paradigm as a consequence of the measures taken to fight the corona pandemic: without a name yet, this paradigm is characterised by cheap money and a very active role of the State.
US election campaign entering hot phase: decision in the midst of the crisis
In the midst of the corona crisis, following the first TV debate and US president Donald Trump’s infection with the corona virus, the race for the US presidential office enters its critical phase. In nationwide opinion polls, Democratic candidate Joe Biden is currently ahead of Republican incumbent Trump.
Will interest rates remain low in the long term?
The interest rates seem to have been going one way for years – down. With the exception of a few corrections, the taboo has been broken for many years that bond yields should have to be positive all the time.
High Inflation – likely to emerge?
At the beginning of September, the FED announced a significant change in their policy: They officially announced the implementation of “average inflation targeting”. This allows to have a higher inflation rate for a period of time instead of being closely held to the target inflation rate of 2%.
Why did the FED announce this shift in its policy? Is inflation returning in the agenda? In this article, we intend to show the policy requirements for high(er) inflation.