(Reuters) -Dutch financial services company Aegon on Wednesday launched its Aegon Investment Grade Climate Transition Fund, which is designed to support the transition to a low-carbon economy while delivering good returns for investors.
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT:
The launch of Aegon’s new fund comes two months after Europe eased state aid rules to boost environmentally-friendly projects and cut carbon footprints.
Last month, the world’s biggest multilateral climate fund – the Green Climate Fund – also said it would make its largest ever series of investments and speed up dealmaking to help poorer nations deal with the effects of global warming.
BY THE NUMBERS:
The Aegon Investment Grade Climate Transition Fund will mainly invest in global investment-grade corporate bonds, with flexibility to include select high-yield bonds and cash.
It aims to outperform the Bloomberg Global Aggregate Corporate Index over rolling 36-month periods, net of fees.
Data published last November by Morningstar said climate funds’ total assets stood at $572 billion as of September 30, 2024.
KEY QUOTE:
“The current market environment – characterised by elevated corporate bond yields, resilient corporate fundamentals, and a supportive rates cycle – offers a compelling opportunity for investment grade investors,” said Aegon Asset Management fund manager Rory Sandilands.
“At the same time, the need for credible climate action has never been greater. With our proprietary climate transition research, disciplined security selection, and proven track record, we believe the fund is well-positioned to deliver resilient, risk-adjusted returns while supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy,” he added.
(Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
