Alpha-Centric ESG Research

Kyle Rudden

This Insight is about a trainwreck, the head-on collision of two megatrends in investing: ESG, and cryptocurrencies. "Trainwreck," because the raging cryptocurrency/ESG debate has spiraled out of control and made absolute lunatics out of everyone, environmentalists and crypto-zealots alike.Cryptocurrency's environmental impact is not a recent epiphany. Back in 2009, Hal Finney (creator of Bitcoin's proof-of-work system, and even rumored to be the elusive Satoshi Nakamoto) tweeted, "Thinking about how to reduce CO2 emissions from widespread Bitcoin implementation."Prescient, but it didn't elicit a reaction because in 2009 few investors had even heard of Bitcoin and ESG. In 2021, however, Elon Musk's words are able to spark a firestorm because Bitcoin and ESG are now deeply ingrained in the collective investor psyche, and the zeitgeist.And Elon Musk's words sure did spark a firestorm.With this report, I hope to provide what is entirely absent in that firestorm – i.e., a comprehensive, rational, and balanced view of the multifaceted cryptocurrency/ESG relationships. Environmental, Social, and Governance. Including some issues that no one is talking about, but should be.

This Insight is about a trainwreck, the head-on collision of two megatrends in investing: ESG, and cryptocurrencies. "Trainwreck," because the raging cryptocurrency/ESG debate has spiraled out of control and made absolute lunatics out of everyone, environmentalists and crypto-zealots alike.Cryptocurrency's environmental impact is not a recent epiphany. Back in 2009, Hal Finney (creator of Bitcoin's proof-of-work system, and even rumored to be the elusive Satoshi Nakamoto) tweeted, "Thinking about how to reduce CO2 emissions from widespread Bitcoin implementation."Prescient, but it didn't elicit a reaction because in 2009 few investors had even heard of Bitcoin and ESG. In 2021, however, Elon Musk's words are able to spark a firestorm because Bitcoin and ESG are now deeply ingrained in the collective investor psyche, and the zeitgeist.And Elon Musk's words sure did spark a firestorm.With this report, I hope to provide what is entirely absent in that firestorm – i.e., a comprehensive, rational, and balanced view of the multifaceted cryptocurrency/ESG relationships. Environmental, Social, and Governance. Including some issues that no one is talking about, but should be.

ESG and Bitcoin: The Truth Lies Somewhere Between Benign and Boiling Off Oceans

We aggregate key quotes from earnings, The Transcript

The Transcript

We aggregate key quotes from earnings

Aggregate Key Quotes from Earnings

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

The economy is booming and everyone should enjoy it. The American economy is benefitting from tremendous amounts of pent-up demand and in some of the hardest-hit industries' activity is beginning to tick back up above 2019 levels. Along with that boom, there are clear signs of inflation and concerns about overheating. Even Janet Yellen seemed concerned for a few hours last week.

The economy is booming and everyone should enjoy it. The American economy is benefitting from tremendous amounts of pent-up demand and in some of the hardest-hit industries' activity is beginning to tick back up above 2019 levels. Along with that boom, there are clear signs of inflation and concerns about overheating. Even Janet Yellen seemed concerned for a few hours last week.

We see those big numbers in the press, almost daily it seems. About ESG assets under management (AUM) reaching US$40 trillion, expected to hit US$53 trillion by 2025. Or about quarterly ESG fund flows nearing US$100 billion, and the seismic shift in ESG AUM to passively-managed funds.Recent growth in SRI (sustainable and responsible investing) and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) assets and investment products would not be possible without the growing ecosystem of index providers, and the SRI/ESG indices and benchmarks that they create.The ongoing boom in SRI/ESG indexing, which shows no signs of slowing, creates new opportunies for investors – and I do not mean investing in indexed mutual funds or ETFs. Too obvious, and too retail. I am referring to emergent opportunities associated with SRI/ESG index arbitrage.Index rebalancing/reconstitution events often create windows of abnormal returns for constituents being re-weighted, added, or dropped. That much is obvious, and the effects of broad market index changes are well-known. For SRI/ESG indices, this is uncharted territory with huge potential.This Smartkarma Original looks at the evolving SRI/ESG indexing landscape, and more importantly the emergent investing (e.g., stocks of listed indexers) and trading (e.g., arbitraging index changes) strategies arising from this global boom in SRI/ESG indices... from an Original perspective.<h2>WHAT'S ORIGINAL?</h2>Typically, discussions about SRI/ESG indices focus on their performance and in the context of that age-old "ESG-Alpha" debate – i.e., whether incorporating ESG factors into the investment process is worth the effort. To be clear, that is an important debate to have (and win). However, this report takes a different angle on SRI/ESG indices by focusing on investing and trading and strategies that capitalise on the boom in SRI/ESG indices. Theory (and a little speculation) backed by analysis.

We see those big numbers in the press, almost daily it seems. About ESG assets under management (AUM) reaching US$40 trillion, expected to hit US$53 trillion by 2025. Or about quarterly ESG fund flows nearing US$100 billion, and the seismic shift in ESG AUM to passively-managed funds.Recent growth in SRI (sustainable and responsible investing) and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) assets and investment products would not be possible without the growing ecosystem of index providers, and the SRI/ESG indices and benchmarks that they create.The ongoing boom in SRI/ESG indexing, which shows no signs of slowing, creates new opportunies for investors – and I do not mean investing in indexed mutual funds or ETFs. Too obvious, and too retail. I am referring to emergent opportunities associated with SRI/ESG index arbitrage.Index rebalancing/reconstitution events often create windows of abnormal returns for constituents being re-weighted, added, or dropped. That much is obvious, and the effects of broad market index changes are well-known. For SRI/ESG indices, this is uncharted territory with huge potential.This Smartkarma Original looks at the evolving SRI/ESG indexing landscape, and more importantly the emergent investing (e.g., stocks of listed indexers) and trading (e.g., arbitraging index changes) strategies arising from this global boom in SRI/ESG indices... from an Original perspective.WHAT'S ORIGINAL?Typically, discussions about SRI/ESG indices focus on their performance and in the context of that age-old "ESG-Alpha" debate – i.e., whether incorporating ESG factors into the investment process is worth the effort. To be clear, that is an important debate to have (and win). However, this report takes a different angle on SRI/ESG indices by focusing on investing and trading and strategies that capitalise on the boom in SRI/ESG indices. Theory (and a little speculation) backed by analysis.

Sustainability and ESG Indices: A Booming Ecosystem and New Investing and Trading Opportunities

New Zealand Professional Investment Services Firm, Forsyth Barr

Forsyth Barr

New Zealand Professional Investment Services Firm

We are proud to be a New Zealand owned firm, with 21 offices throughout the country and over 300 employees. We assist personal, institutional and corporate clients providing a full range of investment services.

Forsyth Barr is a foundation New Zealand Exchange firm (NZX) and accredited market participant. We have been confirmed by the Financial Markets Authority as a Qualifying Financial Entity (QFE).

Research is the cornerstone of our advice. We have one of New Zealand's leading teams of analysts. Our global affiliations ensure comprehensive research coverage of all major investment markets.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul><li>Infratil’s (IFT) largest investment, CDC: (1) continues to progress developments at a rapid rate; (2) has expanded its longer-term development pipeline, as flagged at its FY26 result; and (3) has seen a material increase in its independent valuation.</li><li>New disclosure and substantial 1Q27 construction starts indicate CDC has greater near-term leasing capacity than we had previously assumed.</li><li>We see further large contract wins for CDC as potential catalysts and retain OUTPERFORM.</li></ul>

Infratil’s (IFT) largest investment, CDC: (1) continues to progress developments at a rapid rate; (2) has expanded its longer-term development pipeline, as flagged at its FY26 result; and (3) has seen a material increase in its independent valuation.New disclosure and substantial 1Q27 construction starts indicate CDC has greater near-term leasing capacity than we had previously assumed.We see further large contract wins for CDC as potential catalysts and retain OUTPERFORM.

Only Donald Trump can run the United States alone. Other presidents require the support of many departments, agencies, and advisors. When a new president is elected, there is a formal transition process, a central component of which is appointing people to those critical positions.Should Biden win the election, his administration will ultimately appoint more than 4,000 people. We will never hear about the vast majority of them. However, some appointments are anticipated and debated (in the U.S. and globally) because they are so utterly consequential.Appointments vary in relevance to each of the Triple Bottom Line pillars – Environmental, Social (including Governance), Economic. For some appointed positions, the relevance to investing is far removed. A few, however, have major and immediate capital markets implications.This Insight does three things:<ol>
<li>Introduces the transition and appointment process including critical appointments and roles</li>
<li>Discusses the "transition politics" that will drive Biden's appointment strategy and decisions</li>
<li>Analyses the candidates and their likelihoods for the Secretary of the Treasury appointment</li>
</ol>For more on the election, the likelihood of a Biden win, and ESG investing implications of a Biden win see <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/u-s-elections-a-biden-win-is-looking-more-likely" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:44504" rel="noopener">U.S. Elections: A Biden Win Is Looking More Likely</a> as well as <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/u-s-elections-a-biden-win-would-be-a-win-for-esg-investing-and-sustainable-finance" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:44503" rel="noopener">U.S. Elections: A Biden Win Would Be a Win for ESG Investing and Sustainable Finance</a>.

Only Donald Trump can run the United States alone. Other presidents require the support of many departments, agencies, and advisors. When a new president is elected, there is a formal transition process, a central component of which is appointing people to those critical positions.Should Biden win the election, his administration will ultimately appoint more than 4,000 people. We will never hear about the vast majority of them. However, some appointments are anticipated and debated (in the U.S. and globally) because they are so utterly consequential.Appointments vary in relevance to each of the Triple Bottom Line pillars – Environmental, Social (including Governance), Economic. For some appointed positions, the relevance to investing is far removed. A few, however, have major and immediate capital markets implications.This Insight does three things:
Introduces the transition and appointment process including critical appointments and roles
Discusses the "transition politics" that will drive Biden's appointment strategy and decisions
Analyses the candidates and their likelihoods for the Secretary of the Treasury appointment
For more on the election, the likelihood of a Biden win, and ESG investing implications of a Biden win see U.S. Elections: A Biden Win Is Looking More Likely as well as U.S. Elections: A Biden Win Would Be a Win for ESG Investing and Sustainable Finance.

U.S. Elections: A Biden Win Would Mean a New U.S. Treasury Secretary (Elizabeth Warren Might Be It)

United States

BlackRock, Inc. provides investment management services. The Company offers investment, advisory, and risk management services. BlackRock serves individuals, families, educational, governments, insurance companies, and non profit organizations worldwide.

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
Market Cap (USDm)	0.00
P/E	0.00
Dividend (Yield)	0.00

BlackRock (BLK US)

ESG and Bitcoin: The Truth Lies Somewhere Between Benign and Boiling Off Oceans

Elon sparked a firestorm over Bitcoin's climate impacts. Problem is, it's all "greenwashing" by crypto-zealots or "brownwashing" by...

Kyle Rudden

The Transcript 05.10.21: Pent-up Demand

The economy is booming and everyone should enjoy it. The American economy is benefitting from tremendous amounts of pent-up demand and in some of...

The Transcript

Sustainability and ESG Indices: A Booming Ecosystem and New Investing and Trading Opportunities

Index rebalancing and reconstitution often creates a window of abnormal returns (and opportunity). For broad market indices, these effects are well...

Kyle Rudden

Infratil Capacity to Surprise

Infratil’s (IFT) largest investment, CDC: (1) continues to progress developments at a rapid rate; (2) has expanded its longer-term development...

Forsyth Barr

U.S. Elections: A Biden Win Would Mean a New U.S. Treasury Secretary (Elizabeth Warren Might Be It)

If Biden wins, his next step is appointing a Cabinet including Secretary of the Treasury. Elizabeth Warren is a leading candidate. Far-left...

Kyle Rudden

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)