Socially (Un)Acceptable
by Michael Clough
The inexorable growth of environmental, social and governance (ESG) awareness has been impossible to ignore. Social criteria can be difficult to measure and they don’t necessarily lend themselves to quantitative metrics that environmental and governance matters might. Whilst simple screens may highlight certain ESG risks at a company. Critics have said the coronavirus pandemic and resulting economic implications might push ESG discussions down the agenda once again with strong balance sheets and profits trumping attractive ESG scores. That certainly doesn’t look to be the case.
Market Snapshot
- Cases of Covid-19 have reached 12 million globally
- Key US technology benchmark reaches new all-time high
- Brent crude rose 1.0% ending the week at $43.2 a barrel
- Gold rose 1.5% to end the week at $1798.7 an ounce