Greenwashing – a misleading or deceptive marketing practice used by companies and other organizations to portray themselves or their products and services as environmentally friendly or sustainable – has become so ubiquitous in recent times that regulators have been forced to act. The EU’s proposed “green claims” directive is the latest initiative designed to clarify the investment regime around sustainability and ESG with the aim of protecting consumers and investors from greenwashing. Once again, however, its progress promises to be somewhat fraught.

July saw a dramatic rotation in the US stock market out of all-conquering megacap tech stocks into small caps. While a market rebalancing would be welcome, gathering economic and political uncertainty point to volatility ahead, which is a headwind for riskier small caps.

As we headed into 2024, the stage seemed set for a rousing rally in US bond markets. A combination of soft economic data releases and a dovish surprise from the Fed Chair Jerome Powell, following the FOMC’s December 2023 press conference, appeared to signal an end to the sustained high-interest-rate regime, with a cutting cycle on the cards.  

The leveraged finance market has seen explosive growth in recent years, benefiting from high interest rates and strong risk appetites, reflected in tight credit spreads. But with the size of this market now estimated by some at around USD 2 trillion globally, the boom is prompting heightened regulatory scrutiny, as regulators seek to address potential vulnerabilities and risks. 

The global financial crisis (GFC) of 2007-09 was a watershed event in financial markets that demanded a huge change in how banks are regulated.

The main regulatory response to the GFC was labeled Basel III by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS), the primary global standard-setter for prudential regulation of banks, when first set out in 2010.

This podcast is intended to clarify the differences in terminology that have emerged around this Basel Framework.

The energy transition presents several challenges for finance professionals.

These include the need to understand the financial implications of the transition, the demand for new investment strategies, and the requirement for a thorough understanding of regulatory changes related to the energy transition. Listen to this podcast to learn more about the challenges finance professionals face.

The energy industry is currently undergoing a transformative phase, as it moves from traditional fossil fuels to renewable sources.

Listen to this podcast to learn about the individual trends shaping the shift.

The shockwaves from the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) are still apparent, at least in the sphere of regulation, with the US banking industry currently engaged in an unprecedented lobbying campaign against proposed new rules to Basel III – Basel IV or the so-called “Basel Endgame”.

Beset by multiple crises and lackluster growth for over a decade, European equity market underperformance had become ingrained in investor expectations. However, since bottoming out in October 2022, they have been a surprise outperformer. Can this last?

In this 30-minute digital fireside chat, industry experts discussed the transformative power of AI, its opportunities, challenges, and the crucial element of risk management.