EIB

We have more multilateral development banks than ever before. They perform an invaluable job in a challenging and ever-changing world, but as they expand, and as new MDBs emerge, a fear is growing that they are being used as political tools by sovereign shareholders, keen to promote their own interests around the world. By Elliot Wilson

Sterling is set to take a bigger slice of the socially responsible bond market as a result of a number of initiatives, including reforms that are putting the pressure on UK pension funds to focus on environmental, social or governance (ESG) factors in their investments. Burhan Khadbai reports

Specialisation could define MTNs in 2020 as the market looks to differentiate itself from public markets where borrowers are easily executing large, cheap, liquid benchmarks. MTN dealers’ change of focus is shaking up the league tables. Frank Jackman reports

When investors are presented with a new financial instrument, their instinct is generally to focus on pricing, relative value and liquidity. This is a natural response, especially in a low yield environment in which every basis point counts.

This week's funding scorecard looks at the progress supranationals have made in their funding programmes at the beginning of December, with some issuers also setting their funding targets for 2020.

European finance ministers are not keen on setting up a new development bank from scratch. They will instead start technical work on how to better streamline the operations outside the EU of the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Green finance specialists gave a cautious welcome this week to an idea put forward by Axa that the European Union should set up a new organ, modelled on the European Stability Mechanism, to borrow about €500bn for investments to fight climate change. Jon Hay and Burhan Khadbai report.

A report published on Tuesday by Counter Balance, an NGO, calls on the European Investment Bank to reinforce its internal anti-corruption mechanisms, and to be brought under the scope of EU rules such as the Anti-Money Laundering Directive.

For the second time, the European Investment Bank has suggested concessions on its new Energy Lending Policy that would weaken its commitment to stop fossil fuel financing by the end of 2020, and its claim to becoming Europe's 'climate bank'.

This week's funding scorecard looks at the progress supranationals have made in their funding programmes at the middle of October.

EU finance ministers have been presented with three options for how to realign the European Investment Bank and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. This could lead to the emergence of a new capital markets issuer.

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