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TORONTO, April 9 (Reuters) - Canada's move to expand the investment tax credit for mining companies to align it with policies in the United States is accelerating funding talks for critical miners, company executives told Reuters. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government proposed a 30% investment tax credit for expenses related to the exploration of critical minerals in the latest budget announced last month. This incentive also covers investors planning to buy shares in certain critical mining companies such as those in the exploration of lithium brine. Several junior mining companies in western Canada are optimistic about the fund raising prospects and are in talks with banks for financing, Doornbos added. "These measures do level the playing and put us in a stronger position," said Pierre Gratton, CEO of the Mining Association of Canada.

☆ A NBA superstar went from keeping cash in multiple bank accounts to investing in 2 sports teams and launching an ETF. Here are 4 of Giannis Antetokounmpo's business ventures.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Giannis Antetokounmpo once kept his money in half a dozen bank accounts due to the FDIC limit. The NBA star's ventures now include a sports drinks maker, two sports teams, and a sustainable ETF. Nashville SCAlong with his three brothers, Antetokounmpo invested in Nashville SC, a Major League Soccer club, earlier this year. "I've always had the dream of owning a soccer team," he continued. "I want my kids before they even get their first dollar to know how to make a dollar into two.

☆ Ubben’s Inclusive sees opportunity to boost value at Dutch chemical maker and help the environment
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( Kenneth Squire | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

It operates through the following segments: Methanol U.S., Methanol Europe, Nitrogen U.S., Nitrogen Europe and Fertiglobe. It will be a state-of-the-art facility at the forefront of blue ammonia production and is expected to come online in 2025 and produce 1.1 million tons of blue ammonia annually. This facility will combine nitrogen with blue hydrogen to create blue ammonia. It is considered "blue" ammonia because the carbon emissions produced from the hydrogen production process are captured and stored. Second, this blue ammonia will be sold through an ammonia terminal at the port of Rotterdam that OCI owns and operates.

Below are several charts setting out how ESG funds have held up so far this year. Reuters GraphicsTECH REBOUNDESG equity funds enjoyed a quarter of net inflows, even after the March withdrawals, beating non-ESG equity funds, which lost money. ESG funds have historically owned bank shares because of their relatively lower carbon emissions, Boakye said, although versus traditional funds their exposure to banks is generally lower. Across the quarter ESG bond funds managed to attract more cash than they lost. Reuters GraphicsOUTPERFORMINGThanks to the rebound in tech shares and other sectors shunned in 2022, ESG equity funds outperformed traditional funds during the quarter.

Companies BlackRock Inc FollowBOSTON, April 5 (Reuters) - New York City pension leaders will press external fund managers, including private market fund managers, on Wednesday for details on their plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions, officials said. Public, and private market managers that have faced less pressure on climate issues to date, run most of the roughly $240 billion in New York City pension fund assets. Boards overseeing the majority of that money have approved new expectations for those managers, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander said, which will be announced on Wednesday. Lander urged BlackRock Inc last fall to take stronger environmental steps such as phasing-out high emitting assets. Lander said the plans recently approved by New York City pension boards extend similar calls to other external managers, including those that manage the 25% of pension assets held in fixed income and the 25% in private markets.

☆ At Least 10,000 Foreign Companies to Be Hit by EU Sustainability Rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Dieter Holger | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +7 min

The estimates exclude foreign companies that are subject to the reporting requirements due to other conditions, such as having an EU bond listing. Foreign companies with EU listings will need to start reporting these disclosures in 2025 if they have more than 500 employees in the EU. Businesses based in the EU that reported under the bloc’s previous sustainability rules must follow the new requirements from 2025. The EU rules call for limited-assurance audits to start, with a goal of eventually moving to reasonable assurance. Other sustainability reporting regulations are also set to go into effect in the next few years.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's administration is determined to oust current CEO Francesco Starace, several sources told Reuters. OPPORTUNITYWith almost 60 Gigawatt (GW) of installed capacity, Enel is one of the world's biggest players in renewable energy. The company, which has been hit by soaring gas prices and government measures capping bills to shield consumers, saw net profit slip to 5.4 billion euros last year, from 5.6 billion euros in 2021. In November Enel unveiled its updated strategy to 2025, pledging to cut net debt by 21 billion euros via asset disposals, while at the same time investing 37 billion euros and increasing installed renewable capacity by 21 GW. You can't have an Italian only Enel, it would be such a step back," de Lamaze said.

Italy's bond, which marks its third green bond and matures on 30 October 2031, was priced to yield 4.056%. Elsewhere, Cyprus raised 1 billion euros from its first sustainable bond, the country's debt office said, becoming the latest European government to enter the market. Sustainable bonds are a broader form ESG debt, proceeds from which can be spent on both green and social projects. Cyprus follows a number of smaller countries including Slovenia and Luxembourg opting for sustainable bonds as they often struggle to find enough projects to back standalone green bonds. Leonidou said Cyprus expects to sell sustainable bonds every two or three years going forward.

☆ ESG regulation globally is still a patchwork, but it's moving forward: S&P Dow Jones Indices CEO
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailESG regulation globally is still a patchwork, but it's moving forward: S&P Dow Jones Indices CEODan Draper, CEO of S&P Dow Jones Indices says the key to improve ESG regulation is to get more consistent reliable data, and build them into the indices and benchmarks.

☆ Analysis: OPEC+ in driver's seat as oil supply growth lags demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Alex Lawler | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

U.S. shale oil drillers over the last two decades helped to turn the United States into the world's largest producer. OPEC has this year been lowering its U.S. shale oil output forecast, having also done so in 2022. OPEC trims shale forecastsAn OPEC+ source, asked if OPEC+ is in the driver's seat when it comes to the oil market now, said: "We are not in the passenger seat". LACK OF INVESTMENTOPEC sources have cited a lack of sufficient investment to increase supply as likely to support prices this year. Demand growth is expected to exceed non-OPEC supply growthThe International Energy Agency, which represents 31 countries including top consumer the United States, also expects demand growth to exceed supply growth, although to a smaller extent than OPEC.

[1/2] The entry to the Home Capital Group's headquarters is seen at an office tower in the financial district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada May 1, 2017. REUTERS/Chris HelgrenTORONTO, April 4 (Reuters) - Canada's antitrust regulator said on Tuesday it is reviewing the potential acquisition of Canadian lender Home Capital Group Inc (HCG.TO) by privately held peer Smith Financial Corp."I can confirm that the Competition Bureau is reviewing the potential acquisition of Home Capital Group by Smith Financial Corporation," a spokesperson for the regulator said in an email to Reuters. Home Capital and Smith Financial were unavailable to immediately provide comment. Home Capital, rescued by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRKa.N) five years ago, announced in November it would be taken private by Smith Financial in a C$1.7 billion ($1.27 billion) deal. Smith Financial is controlled by Stephen Smith, the co-founder of Home Capital's larger rival First National Financial Corp (FN.TO) and a top shareholder of lender EQB Inc (EQB.TO).

☆ Teen consumers are setting new trends — and spending more. A raft of Club names stand to gain
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Piper Sandler on Tuesday released the results of its semi-annual survey on Gen-Z teenagers, with bullish implications for a slate of Club holdings. For its latest report, Piper Sandler surveyed 5,690 U.S. teens between Feb. 13 and March 21, with an average age of 16.2 years across 47 states. Haircare saw a marginal 1% year-over-year gain, but that's of little concern to us given Estee Lauder's minimal exposure to the haircare market, a dynamic highlighted by Piper Sandler. Internet On the ecommerce front, 57% of survey respondents cited Club name Amazon (AMZ) as their favorite online retailer. As Piper Sandler noted, these are encouraging results that highlight Meta's ongoing product-improvement initiatives.

[1/2] Ethernet cables are seen in front of Rogers and Shaw Communications logos in this illustration taken, July 8, 2022. Rogers' deal for Shaw was politically sensitive due to the sky-high wireless bills Canadians pay, which are among the highest in the world. Yet, the competition bureau failed to block the merger, losing their protracted battle when a federal court dismissed the case. Now, dealmakers worry the government could intervene in other politically sensitive M&A. "There are not a lot of things people in competition law disagree on.

Meanwhile, Republicans, many from energy-producing states, have raised a growing chorus of challenges on ESG. This can be a problem for fund participants who do not share ESG goals, the Republicans wrote. Asset managers have argued that such memberships align with their fiduciary obligations, and some are giving clients more control over proxy votes. "Asset managers voting for the exclusion of one of their competitors has clear antitrust implications," the letter states. The resolutions were filed by activist shareholder group As You Sow, which the Republicans suggested had targeted Vanguard over its withdrawal.

Meanwhile, Republicans, many from energy-producing states, have raised a growing chorus of challenges on ESG. The latest letter built on concerns many of the same attorneys general brought to BlackRock last August. This can be a problem for fund participants who do not share ESG goals, the Republicans wrote. Another section of the Republicans' letter cites several pending shareholder resolutions that ask corporations to dial back the use of Vanguard Group retirement plan funds because of Vanguard's fossil fuel holdings. "Asset managers voting for the exclusion of one of their competitors has clear antitrust implications," the letter states.

Michael M. Santiago | Getty ImagesThere's one group of people that's being disproportionality hurt by high inflation: women. First, a jump in child care prices has started to pressure women out of the workforce. Child care inflation, which has increased 214% from 1990 to 2022, has outpaced average family income gains, which have risen 143%. Surprisingly, over 50% of parents spend over 20% of their income on child care in the US." Women and minorities are underrepresented in higher-wage industries, such as technology or finance, that are more insulated from inflation pressures, Gosai noted.

☆ Is Jamie Dimon the most powerful person in finance?
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Insider's Carter Johnson has a story on one executive whose profile continues to rise: Jamie Dimon. Carter's story got me thinking: Who's the most powerful person in finance? Warren Buffett: Before you jump down my throat, realize this is a list of the most powerful people in finance not on Wall Street. Place your vote here — or name someone else — for who you think is the most powerful person in finance. The bank was hit with a nearly $100 million fine for letting a foreign bank make prohibited transactions, The Wall Street Journal reports.

☆ Britain sets out next steps to green its financial system
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Asset managers oversee assets worth 10 trillion pounds ($12.35 trillion), with nearly half having integrated ESG into the investment process, the paper said. "This will support the quality of standards, labels and disclosures used in the industry for green finance activity," the ministry said in a statement. "The government proposes that nuclear - as a key technology within our pathways to reach net zero - will be included within the UK’s Green Taxonomy, subject to consultation." In the fourth quarter, Britain will also consult on requirements for the largest companies to disclose their transition plans to net zero carbon emissions, if they have one, the ministry said. Brendan Curry, policy fellow at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change, said the updated strategy has "failed to deliver" a clear roadmap for the annual investment needed for net zero.

☆ These short-term muni ETFs can give investors a healthy tax-free yield
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Jesse Pound | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Municipal bond funds can be particularly attractive to investors who face a high tax burden, because their payouts are tax exempt. The new funds haven't been active long-enough to show an official yield, but the more established iShares Short-Term National Muni Bond ETF (SUB) has a tax-equivalent yield of 4.74%. Another factor in favor of municipal bonds is the uncertain economic environment and fear of a possible recession. The BulletShares fund family from Invesco offers several different muni funds with different maturity target dates for investors looking for more specific time-frames. That group expanded with the Invesco BulletShares 2032 Municipal Bond ETF (BSMW) , which launched on March 1.

☆ Climate change is first and foremost a food security story: DSM co-CEO
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailClimate change is first and foremost a food security story: DSM co-CEODSM says it helped close the micronutrient gap for 642 million people in 2022 and supported the immunity of 321 million people. Geraldine Matchett, Co-CEO at DSM and CNBC ESG council member, joins us to discuss a new report.

March 28 (Reuters) - A federal judge in Texas on Tuesday refused to transfer to another court a lawsuit by Republican states challenging a Biden administration rule allowing socially conscious investing by retirement plans, rejecting claims of "judge shopping." U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in Amarillo, Texas, said the Biden administration had provided no evidence that the litigation did not belong in his court or that plaintiffs were attempting to manipulate the process. His courthouse has become a favored destination for Republicans seeking to challenge aspects of Democratic President Joe Biden's agenda. The Labor Department argues the rule is valid because it still requires retirement plans to consider traditional financial factors when choosing investments. Congress in early March voted to repeal the ESG rule, but Biden vetoed that bill.

☆ The future of ESG is expanding. Here’s how 2 experts define ESG investing and why it matters
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Elizabeth Wood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Experts share how ESG investors can understand and grow with emerging opportunities. Environmental and Social Governance (ESG) investing is adapting to consumer behavior. However, ESG investing has recently come under review for greenwashing or other hidden tradeoffs. Leaders in the field are working to better define and understand what ESG investing is and the good it can do for companies and beyond. During the session "Navigating ESG Investing Challenges" Rebecca Ungarino, senior finance reporter, spoke with Shah and Nikita Singhal, coHead of sustainable investment and ESG at Lazard Asset Management.

☆ Goldman sees a 'meaningful ramp-up' in solar ahead and gives the best ways to play it
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The Inflation Reduction Act's tax credits will likely prompt surging demand for solar power in the U.S., according to Goldman Sachs. The law included a 30% credit toward the installation of solar panels or other equipment that harnesses renewable energy. Because of this, he recommends solar stocks that broadly play to supply chain diversification and onshoring trends while also having strong business fundamentals. First Solar , meanwhile, should specifically benefit from the push to expand domestic renewable energy capacity, Singer said. While the stock has surged more than 40% since 2023 began, analysts expect shares to slip 1.3% over the next year.

☆ BlackRock Communications Specialists Exit As Fink Scrutiny Mounts
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Rebecca Ungarino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

At least nine people have left or are transitioning out of BlackRock's communications group. The corporate communications team has some 90 employees globally, up from 48 in 2019, a BlackRock spokesperson said. "We're fortunate the BlackRock communications team includes some of the most talented professionals in the industry and that we have continued to attract top talent as the team has grown in recent years," Badenhausen said in a statement to Insider. Jonathan Posen, a veteran speechwriter who worked as former Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner's chief writer on the financial crisis and other economic matters, joined BlackRock's communications group in 2013. The criticism reached new heights in 2022 as Republican state officials coordinated attacks on Fink and BlackRock and some pulled their investments.

☆ Reactions: Canada 2023/24 budget deficit to jump, Ottawa to boost spending
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

JULES BOUDREAU, SENIOR ECONOMIST, MACKENZIE INVESTMENTS"The surprise was more on the revenue side more than the spending side. Prior to this budget we were not eligible for the carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) investment tax credit, but they have now broadened the eligibility parameters." "The big open question, heading into this budget was how was Canada going to react to the Inflation Reduction Act ... MARK ZACHARIAS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CLEAN ENERGY CANADA"We thought today's budget was generally excellent and it sets Canada on a path for prosperity. "The investment tax credits for clean tech manufacturing positions Canada as a leader, particularly in zero-emissions vehicles."

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