April Monthly Commentary
International equities surged in April, with the MSCI EAFE Index gaining 4.1%, as monetary easing policies in Europe and Japan emboldened investors. Emerging market stocks also rallied as investors embraced the likelihood that the Fed would delay raising rates in light of softening economic data at home. The MSCI EM Index returned 7.7% last month, […]
UUA Response to Shareholder Resolutions on Holy Land Principles
This spring for the first time, resolutions are appearing on several US companies’ proxy ballots asking them to adopt the Holy Land Principles, a set of employment principles for companies operating in Israel and the Occupied Territories. One has come to a vote so far, at General Electric. After much discussion with advocates and experts […]
March Monthly Commentary
Stocks reversed course in March amid subdued economic data, expectations of lower US earnings growth, and ongoing geopolitical tensions. The S&P 500 finished the month down 1.6% amid weaker than expected GDP growth of 2.2% in the fourth quarter and a declining earnings forecast fueled by low oil prices and a stronger dollar which affects […]
UUCEF Clients – Important Notice Effective March 15, 2015 Changes to Statement Delivery and Payment Method
We have recently completed implementation of new software used for transaction accounting of congregational, affiliate organization, and UUA endowment accounts and trusts held in the Common Endowment Fund. This new software will provide transactional information and additional statement information to our clients via a web-based online environment. The new software and other process changes are […]
Newly Released Study on likely Stranded Coal Burning Assets
In the investment and environmental communities, there has been a lot of discussion about stranded energy assets in the last few years. A recent article in the Guardian state that US and Chinese companies top the list of most polluting coal plants. This article from the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, and the research […]
American Electric Power should support clean energy in Ohio
Recently, Tim Brennan, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of the UUA was interviewed by Cleveland.com. As the fifth largest investor-owned utility in the country, American Electric Power has the potential to lead the industry in clean energy. Renewable energy and energy efficiency are increasingly cost-effective options for utilities seeking to lower their carbon emissions, diversify their […]
January Monthly Commentary
Global equities were a mixed bag in January as investors responded to diverging monetary policies and the resulting potential for an uptick in volatility. The S&P 500 fell 3.0% on the month while emerging markets were modestly positive as the MSCI EM Index returned 0.6% International developed equities were buoyed by the European Central Bank’s […]
December Monthly Commentary
US equities scaled new highs in December amid optimism around the economy. To this end, the S&P 500 returned 13.7% for the year and the Russell 2000 gained 4.9%. These advances came amid a slump in the rest of the world with the MSCI EAFE Index falling 3.5% last month. The drop was fueled by […]
Fossil Fuel Holdings Decreasing, Advocacy on the Rise
This fall, we have continued to reduce the fossil fuel holdings of the UUCEF. As of January 1, 2015, our active investment portfolio will include only eight oil and gas producers included on the Carbon Tracker list of the 200 largest publicly traded owners of carbon reserves in the world. (We also hold a small […]
February Monthly Commentary
Financial markets reversed course in February as global equities rallied. The MSCI EAFE Index returned 6.0% amid investor anticipation of the European Central Bank’s quantitative easing program, which kicks off this month. The gains were also driven by strong returns from Japan, where multinational companies reaped the benefits of a weakened yen and recent inflation […]