Vatican Bank launches 'Catholic-based' stock indices

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Euronews or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: The Vatican Bank has launched two new equity indices in partnership with Morningstar, focusing on companies that align with Catholic ethical principles
• Each index, The Morningstar IOR US Catholic Principles and Morningstar IOR Eurozone Catholic Principles, includes 50 companies selected for their commitment to social responsibility, environmental protection, and adherence to Catholic teaching
• Major companies like Meta and Amazon are featured in the US index, while the Eurozone index includes ASML and Deutsche Telekom

🔭 The context: This initiative is part of the Vatican Bank’s efforts to promote sustainable investing and recover from past scandals
• The indices aim to provide investors with a benchmark that reflects Catholic values, supporting the growing demand for faith-based and responsible investing

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: By focusing on environmental stewardship and social responsibility, the Vatican Bank's indices could direct investment towards companies that prioritize sustainability
• This aligns financial markets with broader climate and social goals, contributing to the shift towards a more ethical, low-carbon economy

⏭️ What's next: These new indices join established products like the S&P 500 Catholic Values Index
• As demand for value-aligned investments grows, these indices could further drive the integration of ethical criteria into global finance

💬 One quote: “Investors are increasingly seeking benchmarks that reflect specific values-driven criteria,” said Morningstar’s managing director for indexes

📈 One stat: Each index includes 50 medium and large-cap companies

See on illuminem's Data Hub™ the sustainability performance — carbon credit purchases, total emissions, and climate targets of thousands of companies

Click for more news covering the latest on sustainable finance