Ahren Lester

Articles by Ahren Lester

  • European ESG fund market to reach €9.4trn by 2027, says PwC

    09 April 2024

    Assets in environmental, social and governance (ESG)-focused funds in the EU are forecast to reach €9.4 trillion ($10.2 trillion) by 2027, after PwC Luxembourg reported a jump to more than €6 trillion in 2023.

  • Exclusive: Franklin Templeton launches global green bond fund

    09 April 2024

    Franklin Templeton has launched its first global dedicated green bond mutual fund, five years after it launched its debut Euro-focused green bond exchange-traded fund (ETF).

  • 'All investors should push companies to issue SLBs,' says Barclays

    08 April 2024

    All equity and fixed income investors should be encouraging companies to issue sustainability-linked bonds (SLBs) at scale, according to Barclays, in a show of support for the declining instrument.

  • India targets 'wider' foreign investor participation in sovereign green bonds

    08 April 2024
  • BMO adds 'transition bonds', nuclear to sustainable bond framework

    05 April 2024

    Canadian lender Bank of Montreal (BMO) has added nuclear power projects and transition bonds to its sustainable finance framework, in the first update since its publication in 2019.

  • Barclays: 18% boost to 2024 corporate sustainable bond forecast

    05 April 2024

    Corporate sustainable bond issuance forecasts in developed markets in 2024 have been increased by 18% by Barclays, after a strong start driven by green and social bonds offset a steep decline in sustainability-linked bonds (SLBs).

  • BRD secures first sustainability-linked risk transfer deal with IFC

    04 April 2024
  • New Zealand looks to remove barriers for sustainable bond issuance

    04 April 2024

    A New Zealand regulator is exploring how to "remove potential barriers" for listed companies to issue sustainable bonds, in particular by reducing additional disclosures and costs for issuers.

  • Issuers worry capex-focused sustainability-linked bonds could 'backfire'

    03 April 2024

    Carbon-intensive issuers are interested in tying sustainability-linked bonds (SLBs) to their 'green' capital expenditure (capex) plans, but are concerned that investors will begin to view these 'double' impact bonds as the only way they can access the market.

  • Saudi Arabian green finance framework an 'important but controversial step'

    02 April 2024

    The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has published its green financing framework, opening the door to major oil exporter issuing sovereign green bonds and sukuk.