Socially Responsible Investing Versus Traditional Funds
To many of the visitors to the UU Common Endowment Fund (UUCEF) booth at General Assembly 2017, one of the main questions their congregations have is about the relative performance of SRI [Socially Responsible Investment] versus standard funds. In the past, we have always argued that it does not damage performance, as demonstrated by a […]
August Monthly Commentary
Global equities closed out August in the black with emerging markets continuing to lead the charge. The MSCI EM Index increased 2.2%, bolstered by a weak dollar and positive economic data out of China. With nine consecutive months of gains under its belt, the benchmark has returned 28.3% so far this year. At home, the […]
July Monthly Commentary
Global equities got another solid month under their belt with emerging markets still leading the way in July. The MSCI EM Index gained 6.0% and was bolstered by dovish comments from the Federal Reserve. Non-US developed market stocks were in the black at 2.9%, according to the MSCI EAFE Index, amid a growth recovery in […]
The Value of the Shareholder Proposal Process
By Julie Fox Gorte, Pax World Management, and Tim Smith, Walden Asset Management, on Tuesday, July 11, 2017 Julie Gorte, Ph.D., is Senior Vice President for Sustainable Investing at Pax World Management; Tim Smith is Director of ESG Shareowner Engagement at Walden Asset Management. Additional posts on the CHOICE Act are available here. Early in June, the House […]
June Monthly Commentary
Global equities were modestly up in June with the MSCI ACWI Index returning 0.5%. At home, small-cap stocks bested large-cap equities with the S&P 500 Index gaining 0.6% and the Russell 2000 Index returning 3.5%. In Europe, stocks sold off as the European Central Bank hinted it may slow down its quantitative easing program as […]
Second Reduction in Spending Rate for UUA Administered Trusts
The second reduction in the trust payout percentage is set to take effect with the October 2017 recurring payment cycle. The annual payment (spending rate) for UUA Administered Trusts will decrease from 4.75% to 4.50% for fiscal year 2018. As stated in the posting dated February 29, 2016, the Board, acting on the recommendation from […]
3rd Annual Treasurer’s Report on 2014 Business Resolution by Tim Brennan, Treasurer & CFO
At the 2014 UUA General Assembly, the delegates passes a business resolution entitled “Fossil Fuel Divestment.” The resolution called on the President and Treasurer to “report to each General Assembly from 2015 through 2019 on our Association’s progress on the resolutions.” This is the third such report. The 2015 and 2016 reports were presented in […]
May Monthly Commentary
Global equities forged ahead in May with international stocks continuing to lead the way. The MSCI EAFE Index returned 3.7% on the month as investors took comfort in the victory of centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron in the French presidential elections. Emerging market equities posted their fifth consecutive monthly gain with the MSCI EM Index rising […]
A Huge Vote on Climate Change by ExxonMobil Investors
Financial firms lead shareholder rebellion against ExxonMobil climate change policies By Steven Mufson Washington Post ExxonMobil failed to fend off a shareholder rebellion over climate change, as investors with 62.3 percent of shares voted to instruct the oil giant to report on the impact of global measures designed to keep climate change to 2 […]
ConocoPhillips Shareholders to Consider Climate-Related Lobbying and Executive Perks
Kathy Mulvey, Climate Accountability Campaign Manager, Union of Concerned Scientists Today ConocoPhillips holds a virtual annual shareholders’ meeting, where the company will face two significant climate-related resolutions. These resolutions intersect with some of the key findings and recommendations of UCS’s 2016 report The Climate Accountability Scorecard. ConocoPhillips responded to the report shortly after its release, […]