ESG
Blog
CalPERS and CalSTRS Annual Returns Latest Public Pension Crisis Warning Sign
The COVID-19 recession has fueled volatility in the financial markets. Investment portfolios saw sharp drops in March and April but have rebounded recently as the economy opened up in some areas. This volatility has negatively impacted public pension funds. The Sacramento Bee reported last week that, “California’s pension fund for ...
Blog
Stop Politicizing Investments
The University of California Board of Regents just announced that “the endowment, the pension and all of our working capital pools are fossil-free at the University of California”. The Regents justify the divestment based on their belief that “continuing to hold fossil fuel assets poses too great a financial risk.” ...
Business & Economics
Barron’s Op-Ed Cites PRI Study on Underperformance of ESG Investing
Former Connecticut State Treasurer and founder and president of the Institute for Pension Fund Integrity Christopher Bancroft Burnham recently cited Dr. Wayne Winegarden’s study showing how environmental, social, and governance (ESG) funds underperform broader investment funds over the long-term in an op-ed published in Barron’s. BlackRock’s ESG Strategy Plays Politics with ...
Blog
Hardening California’s ‘Progressive’ Wall
Earlier this month, Gov. Gavin Newsom acknowledged that the COVID-19 pandemic could be the crisis that his party has been looking for to permanently establish a progressive “nation-state.” “There is opportunity for reimagining a progressive era as it pertains to capitalism,” Newsom said earlier this month, when asked by a ...
Business & Economics
The SEC’s Proposed Rule Will Improve Transparency And Protect Investors
The complexity of the financial markets encourages people to support positions that would be unthinkable in most other situations. Such is the case with the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) proposed new regulations of proxy advisory firms. The SEC requires institutional investors (such as mutual funds and public pension funds) ...
Business & Economics
PRI Submits Written Comments to SEC On Proxy Advisory Firm Rule Change
PRI Senior Fellow in Business and Economics, Dr. Wayne Winegarden, submitted written comments to the Securities and Exchange Commission on their proposed rule change regarding more disclosure of conflicts of interest by proxy advisory firms, calling it “a positive step that would lessen the problems currently being imposed on investment ...
Blog
CalPERS & CalSTRS Report Lower Than Expected Returns – Is ESG One Reason Why?
CalPERS and CalSTRS – the two largest public employee pension funds in both California and the nation –just announced their annual investment returns for the 2018-19 fiscal year. Once again, it’s not good news for California taxpayers. Both funds reported that their respective net return of investments came in under ...
Blog
Are ESG Funds a Proxy for the Green New Deal?
After being soundly defeated in the Senate 0-57 (43 Democrats voted “present”), the Green New Deal continues to languish in the House. Roll Call reported the following excuse from Speaker Nancy Pelosi: “I can’t say we’re going to take that and pass it because we have to go through our ...
Business & Economics
Are ESG Funds A Good, Long-Term Investment?
One of the hottest investment trends promises to do well while by doing good. This investment trend is called environmental, social, and governance investing, or ESG funds. Not all ESG funds have similar investment strategies. Some ESG funds actively invest in companies that meet specific environmental or social criteria. These ...
Business & Economics
Read Wealth Professional Story on Wayne Winegarden ESG Study
Putting a question mark on ESG fund performance by Leo Almazora An increasing number of stakeholders are buying into sustainable investments, figuratively and literally. Aside from fund providers’ growing willingness to offer values-based investment products, there’s a rising clamour from investors who want their money placed in companies with strong ESG ...
CalPERS and CalSTRS Annual Returns Latest Public Pension Crisis Warning Sign
The COVID-19 recession has fueled volatility in the financial markets. Investment portfolios saw sharp drops in March and April but have rebounded recently as the economy opened up in some areas. This volatility has negatively impacted public pension funds. The Sacramento Bee reported last week that, “California’s pension fund for ...
Stop Politicizing Investments
The University of California Board of Regents just announced that “the endowment, the pension and all of our working capital pools are fossil-free at the University of California”. The Regents justify the divestment based on their belief that “continuing to hold fossil fuel assets poses too great a financial risk.” ...
Barron’s Op-Ed Cites PRI Study on Underperformance of ESG Investing
Former Connecticut State Treasurer and founder and president of the Institute for Pension Fund Integrity Christopher Bancroft Burnham recently cited Dr. Wayne Winegarden’s study showing how environmental, social, and governance (ESG) funds underperform broader investment funds over the long-term in an op-ed published in Barron’s. BlackRock’s ESG Strategy Plays Politics with ...
Hardening California’s ‘Progressive’ Wall
Earlier this month, Gov. Gavin Newsom acknowledged that the COVID-19 pandemic could be the crisis that his party has been looking for to permanently establish a progressive “nation-state.” “There is opportunity for reimagining a progressive era as it pertains to capitalism,” Newsom said earlier this month, when asked by a ...
The SEC’s Proposed Rule Will Improve Transparency And Protect Investors
The complexity of the financial markets encourages people to support positions that would be unthinkable in most other situations. Such is the case with the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) proposed new regulations of proxy advisory firms. The SEC requires institutional investors (such as mutual funds and public pension funds) ...
PRI Submits Written Comments to SEC On Proxy Advisory Firm Rule Change
PRI Senior Fellow in Business and Economics, Dr. Wayne Winegarden, submitted written comments to the Securities and Exchange Commission on their proposed rule change regarding more disclosure of conflicts of interest by proxy advisory firms, calling it “a positive step that would lessen the problems currently being imposed on investment ...
CalPERS & CalSTRS Report Lower Than Expected Returns – Is ESG One Reason Why?
CalPERS and CalSTRS – the two largest public employee pension funds in both California and the nation –just announced their annual investment returns for the 2018-19 fiscal year. Once again, it’s not good news for California taxpayers. Both funds reported that their respective net return of investments came in under ...
Are ESG Funds a Proxy for the Green New Deal?
After being soundly defeated in the Senate 0-57 (43 Democrats voted “present”), the Green New Deal continues to languish in the House. Roll Call reported the following excuse from Speaker Nancy Pelosi: “I can’t say we’re going to take that and pass it because we have to go through our ...
Are ESG Funds A Good, Long-Term Investment?
One of the hottest investment trends promises to do well while by doing good. This investment trend is called environmental, social, and governance investing, or ESG funds. Not all ESG funds have similar investment strategies. Some ESG funds actively invest in companies that meet specific environmental or social criteria. These ...
Read Wealth Professional Story on Wayne Winegarden ESG Study
Putting a question mark on ESG fund performance by Leo Almazora An increasing number of stakeholders are buying into sustainable investments, figuratively and literally. Aside from fund providers’ growing willingness to offer values-based investment products, there’s a rising clamour from investors who want their money placed in companies with strong ESG ...
