Waste reduction-driven sustainable finance funds saw a 1.3% rally after packaging legislation passed in Asia-Pacific markets. In a disclosure to the Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp. last Thursday, Maynilad said the target listing date was moved from Oct. 30 to no later than Nov. 7 to accommodate cornerstone investors and allow potential investors to better understand its business model. It wasn’t long ago that the phrase “sustainable investing” made Wall Street roll its eyes. Green portfolios were dismissed as passion projects with modest returns, while the big money flowed into fossil fuels and traditional growth plays. That mood has shifted in recent years. Institutional investors, from pension funds to hedge funds, are building in environmental criteria alongside profit metrics. They’re not doing this purely out of altruism, but because markets are punishing companies that are slow to adapt. Sustainable finance stocks showed mixed signals today, with ESG-focused ETFs like iShares MSCI USA ESG Select rising 0.8%, outperforming the S&P 500’s flat close. Analysts project renewable energy equities could gain 10%-12% by Q4, driven by green bond issuance hitting a record $550B in
