Wealth – In the news

ESG assets will exceed £36.5trn by 2025

ESG assets are forecast to exceed £36.5trn – over a third of projected global assets – by 2025, according to Bloomberg Intelligence1. The analysis comes as environmental, social and governance factors are becoming increasingly important to investors across the globe.

Adeline Diab, Head of ESG and Thematic Investing EMEA & APAC at Bloomberg Intelligence, said, “The pandemic and the global race to net zero carbon emissions have put ESG criteria into orbit – from niche to mainstream to mandatory.”

Significant recovery for UK dividends in Q2

UK dividends rose by 51% in the three months to June 2021, jumping to £25.7bn on a headline basis2. Almost 90% of the increase, when compared to Q2 2020, can be attributed to firms restarting dividends. The increase was significantly ahead of an expected rise of 31%.

Income rich, cash poor

Research3 has revealed that 23% of households with an income of £100,000 would be unable to cover a major unexpected bill or survive more than three months without their income. The same is true for over one in ten households earning over £150,000. Although high earners have more coming in each month, in turn, they tend to have more outgoings, which can make saving difficult. However, the importance of having emergency funds should not be overlooked – it is essential for improving your resilience to financial shocks.

1Bloomberg Intelligence, 2021

2Link Group, 2021

3hl, 2021

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