TURIN, Italy–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Following a growing interest in sustainability among the younger generation and the success of last year’s edition, Reply is launching a brand new online Investment Challenge. The international competition, aimed at students and young professionals, is focused on helping participants learn not just how to invest, but how to invest sustainably.
For the second consecutive year, the Investment Challenge will be launched in partnership with Banca Generali. Italy’s top private bank has a strong background in sustainable investments and will accompany students through the different levels of the competition.
This year’s edition will also be supported by MainStreet Partners and MIP Politecnico di Milano Graduate School of Business. MainStreet Partners, a London-based company specialising in sustainable investments and portfolio analytics, will provide the ESG ratings for the competition.
MIP Politecnico di Milano Graduate School of Business will also support, having confirmed its commitment to projects with a strong experiential approach and based on advanced experiments in the field of finance and financial investments, such as the Reply Sustainable Investment Challenge.
Participants from all over the world will have virtual capital of $1 million to trade in real-time in the US market. As well as deepening their knowledge of ESG ratings, it will also improve their basic knowledge of finance and investing. The goal of the Challenge is to help participants identify the best companies to invest in, in order to achieve a positive impact for future generations.
Registration will open from 8th March to 16th April. Participants will get the chance to register and learn to invest in a sustainable way in a safe environment through learning pills (bite-sized tutorials), online webinars, and tests on investment and ESG basics.
During the qualification phase – from 19th to 30th April – portfolios will be credited with $1 million and all participants will begin to compete against each other online. They’ll then be ranked and evaluated based on their sustainable investment choices.
The top 100 traders to maximise profits by investing in the best ESG-rated companies, will progress to the final round on 12-14th May and the three most ESG-conscious investors will each receive a prize.
The Investment Challenge is part of Reply’s Challenges programme, which aims to target the most innovative trends in coding creativity, cyber security and finance. Since 2018, more than 100,000 people have joined the Reply Challenges community, and last year more than 8,400 players took part in the first Reply Investment Challenge.
Registration for the Reply Sustainable Investment Challenge is open until 16th April. Sign up at challenges.reply.com.
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Reply
Reply [MTA, STAR: REY, ISIN: IT0005282865] specialises in the design and implementation of solutions based on new communication channels and digital media. As a network of highly specialised companies, Reply defines and develops business models enabled by the new models of AI, big data, cloud computing, digital media and the internet of things. Reply delivers consulting, system integration and digital services to organisations across the telecom and media; industry and services; banking and insurance; and public sectors. www.reply.com
Banca Generali
Banca Generali is a leading private Italian bank. It specialises in financial planning and asset protection for clients, through its network of highly skilled private bankers. The company’s strategy is based on four key elements: qualified advice from specialists in protecting family wealth and helping them plan for their future; a cutting-edge product portfolio with solutions tailored to personal needs; innovative wealth management services for looking after tangible and financial assets; and innovative tools that use technology to improve trust between advisor and client. The bank’s mission highlights the importance of always having a long-term trusted advisor at the client’s side, to build and take care of their life plan and projects. Listed on the Milan Stock Exchange since November 2006, and 50.1% controlled by the Assicurazioni Generali Group – synonymous with over 180 years of international solidity and security – the bank manages over 74.5 billion euros in assets on behalf of customers (figures as at 31 December 2020). With a widespread presence throughout Italy, it has 45 branches and 137 offices at the disposal of over 2050 financial advisors, and advanced digital contact service operations. In addition, its digital banking platform, www.bancagenerali.it, allows customers to access banking services and operations independently.
MainStreet Partners
MainStreet is the trusted ESG partner of top tier investors, providing a one stop shop for their sustainability requirements at portfolio level. Its clients are some of the most sophisticated and leading Wealth Managers, Asset Managers, Investment Banks, Insurances and Asset Owners in the financial industry. MainStreet Partners is based in London, regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and consists of two main divisions:
ESG Advisory – offers solutions for creating ESG multi-asset and multi-manager portfolios with mutual funds, stocks and bonds. The company develops products with its partners which align to the highest standards of sustainability;
Portfolio Analytics – provides a holistic approach to ESG data analysis such as: transparent and detailed Fund ESG Ratings, assessment of clients’ portfolios to enhance their ESG profile and align them with the “green” regulation.
MIP Politecnico di Milano Graduate School of Business
MIP is the Graduate School of Business of the Politecnico di Milano, one of the best scientific and technological universities in the world, which for more than 40 years has been engaged in providing managerial training programmes for graduates, professionals, companies and institutions.
It has always stood out in the areas of innovation, digital transformation and sustainability. In 2014 it launched Italy’s first Executive MBA in digital learning and today, digital training is an integral part of the entire educational portfolio. This commitment has resulted in MIP moving up in the world’s leading rankings, being placed 5th in the QS Online MBA Rankings 2020 and 9th in the FT Online MBA Ranking 2020. The School pays particular attention to issues related to sustainability: it is the only European Business School among B Corp certified establishments, a recognition given to businesses which are characterised by their commitment to sustainable development and to building a more inclusive society. MIP constantly works alongside nationally and internationally renowned companies, building partnerships that make it possible to design training courses aimed at providing the tools needed to meet the challenges of today’s markets. Internationalisation is another of MIP’s characteristics: over 70 different nationalities are represented every day in its classrooms and offices.
The training on offer consists of more than 40 Master’s degrees each year, including MBAs and Executive MBAs, a catalogue of over 200 Open programmes dedicated to executive profiles and various customised training courses for companies.
TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was down more than 200 points in late-morning trading, weighed down by losses in the technology, base metal and energy sectors, while U.S. stock markets also fell.
The S&P/TSX composite index was down 239.24 points at 22,749.04.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 312.36 points at 40,443.39. The S&P 500 index was down 80.94 points at 5,422.47, while the Nasdaq composite was down 380.17 points at 16,747.49.
The Canadian dollar traded for 73.80 cents US compared with 74.00 cents US on Thursday.
The October crude oil contract was down US$1.07 at US$68.08 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was up less than a penny at US$2.26 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was down US$2.10 at US$2,541.00 an ounce and the December copper contract was down four cents at US$4.10 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 6, 2024.
TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was up more than 150 points in late-morning trading, helped by strength in technology, financial and energy stocks, while U.S. stock markets also pushed higher.
The S&P/TSX composite index was up 171.41 points at 23,298.39.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 278.37 points at 41,369.79. The S&P 500 index was up 38.17 points at 5,630.35, while the Nasdaq composite was up 177.15 points at 17,733.18.
The Canadian dollar traded for 74.19 cents US compared with 74.23 cents US on Wednesday.
The October crude oil contract was up US$1.75 at US$76.27 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was up less than a penny at US$2.10 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was up US$18.70 at US$2,556.50 an ounce and the December copper contract was down less than a penny at US$4.22 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 29, 2024.
The crypto market has recently experienced a significant downturn, mirroring broader risk asset sell-offs. Over the past week, Bitcoin’s price dropped by 24%, reaching $53,000, while Ethereum plummeted nearly a third to $2,340. Major altcoins also suffered, with Cardano down 27.7%, Solana 36.2%, Dogecoin 34.6%, XRP 23.1%, Shiba Inu 30.1%, and BNB 25.7%.
The severe downturn in the crypto market appears to be part of a broader flight to safety, triggered by disappointing economic data. A worse-than-expected unemployment report on Friday marked the beginning of a technical recession, as defined by the Sahm Rule. This rule identifies a recession when the three-month average unemployment rate rises by at least half a percentage point from its lowest point in the past year.
Friday’s figures met this threshold, signaling an abrupt economic downshift. Consequently, investors sought safer assets, leading to declines in major stock indices: the S&P 500 dropped 2%, the Nasdaq 2.5%, and the Dow 1.5%. This trend continued into Monday with further sell-offs overseas.
The crypto market’s rapid decline raises questions about its role as either a speculative asset or a hedge against inflation and recession. Despite hopes that crypto could act as a risk hedge, the recent crash suggests it remains a speculative investment.
Since the downturn, the crypto market has seen its largest three-day sell-off in nearly a year, losing over $500 billion in market value. According to CoinGlass data, this bloodbath wiped out more than $1 billion in leveraged positions within the last 24 hours, including $365 million in Bitcoin and $348 million in Ether.
Khushboo Khullar of Lightning Ventures, speaking to Bloomberg, argued that the crypto sell-off is part of a broader liquidity panic as traders rush to cover margin calls. Khullar views this as a temporary sell-off, presenting a potential buying opportunity.
Josh Gilbert, an eToro market analyst, supports Khullar’s perspective, suggesting that the expected Federal Reserve rate cuts could benefit crypto assets. “Crypto assets have sold off, but many investors will see an opportunity. We see Federal Reserve rate cuts, which are now likely to come sharper than expected, as hugely positive for crypto assets,” Gilbert told Coindesk.
Despite the recent volatility, crypto continues to make strides toward mainstream acceptance. Notably, Morgan Stanley will allow its advisors to offer Bitcoin ETFs starting Wednesday. This follows more than half a year after the introduction of the first Bitcoin ETF. The investment bank will enable over 15,000 of its financial advisors to sell BlackRock’s IBIT and Fidelity’s FBTC. This move is seen as a significant step toward the “mainstreamization” of crypto, given the lengthy regulatory and company processes in major investment banks.
The recent crypto market downturn highlights its volatility and the broader economic concerns affecting all risk assets. While some analysts see the current situation as a temporary sell-off and a buying opportunity, others caution against the speculative nature of crypto. As the market evolves, its role as a mainstream alternative asset continues to grow, marked by increasing institutional acceptance and new investment opportunities.
