Wespath Institutional Investments

This quarter we welcomed our new Deputy Chief Investment Officer, Johara Farhadieh! Learn what inspires her, what she is most proud of, what drew her to Wespath and more in this Q&A: https://ow.ly/coNh50Q0KLt

Are you a Wespath retirement participant looking for investment options which consider additional sustainability factors? The Social Values Choice funds might be an option for you. Learn how these funds provide additional choice by excluding fossil fuels and other investments. #UMCGC #WespathGC24 https://ow.ly/w6JP50RiBSX 

Our own Trent Sparrow will be speaking at the 8th Annual Real Estate Midwest Forum. The forum will take place on April 17th, 2024, at the University Club of Chicago.   This event is the annual meeting place and an educational hotspot for those institutional and private wealth investors in Midwest seeking the very latest in real estate asset allocation, investment and practice management, macroeconomic updates, and much more.   Secure your spot now at: https://ow.ly/ARj450R9wjJ

In our video recapping Q1 in the markets, Frank Holsteen discusses persistently high inflation, strong stock performance driven by tech companies, a mixed international landscape and more. Watch the 5-minute update now at the link below! #MAAG #Q1 #MarketsAtAGlance #Investments https://ow.ly/VSuG50R8xr9

"Continued U.S. GDP growth has emerged as an anomaly among major global economies,” Joe Halwax CAIA CIMA® writes in our latest key takeaways blog. Learn why that is the case—and also get an update on stock performance and the #Mag7 stocks—in the post: https://ow.ly/ObLJ50R7Znr

Wespath is pleased to announce today the expansion of our Social Values Choice suite of funds to institutional investors by the end of the year. While all of Wespath’s funds invest in alignment with United Methodist values, the Social Values Choice funds provide investment options that adhere to heightened environmental and social investment criteria. More details are available in this announcement: https://ow.ly/s4Lq50R6WlB

Does it matter where Oreos are made? Wespath thinks it does. Wespath’s Chirag Acharya was a presenter on Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR)’s 2024 Proxy Resolutions & Voting Guide webinar and explained why Wespath filed a shareholder resolution with Oreo maker Mondelēz International. Wespath believes investors would benefit from increased transparency and reporting on Mondelēz’s management of material human rights risks, including those associated with their operations in Russia and Ukraine. You can watch a recording of last month’s webinar to learn more: https://ow.ly/JrG250R1qOu

Wespath’s Chirag A., Senior Analyst for Sustainable Investment Stewardship, recently attended the Council of Institutional Investors Conference in Washington D.C. In addition to networking and learning from experts at the Conference, Chirag and fellow CII members met with Gary Gensler, Chairperson of the Securities and Exchange Commission, to discuss governance matters on behalf of our investors.

Excitement about artificial intelligence (AI) has spread beyond Silicon Valley. An estimated 36% of S&P 500 companies mentioned AI on their earnings calls for the fourth quarter of last year. Learn more about the enthusiasm surrounding AI in our latest Markets at a Glance video and Monthly Investment Report:
https://ow.ly/ZH4m50QQIFv

Review the latest in market and economic developments, including a strong start to the year for U.S. stocks and mixed news about inflation, in our latest Monthly Investment Report. The report also explains what drove fund performance in February.
https://ow.ly/yqjw50QQIQB