Hot Reads: BlackRock Speeds Removal of ESG Violators From ETFs

BlackRock Fast-Tracks Eviction of ESG Violators From MSCI-Linked ETFs (Reuters) 
The asset manager instituted a “fast exit” rule in December that could see companies removed as quickly as within 45 days. 

SPIVA US Scorecard 2022: Fewer Excuses (Indexology) 
Just 51% of large cap U.S. managers lagged the S&P 500 in 2022. 

ARK Flagship ETF Earned $300M in Fees Despite Losses (Financial Times) 
Investors have largely remained loyal to highly-volatile ETF even though it has fallen nearly three-quarters from its peak. 

Grayscale Exec Says Spot Bitcoin ETF Could Protect Investors, Consumers (CoinDesk) 
A look at what happens next after Grayscale’s lawsuit against the SEC, and whether the regulator should be involved with bitcoin products. 

How Bond ETFs’ Plumbing Can Trip Up Investors When Markets Go Crazy (Barron’s) 
The way they function can create problems when the assets in the basket aren’t easily tradable, especially in times of market turmoil. 

Inflation-Protection Funds Struggle to Perform as Advertised (The Wall Street Journal) 
Disparate strategies trading bonds, derivatives and stocks offer varied returns. 

Stubbornly Strong Economy Complicates Fight Against Inflation (The Economist) 
Higher interest rates are not sufficiently slowing global growth. 

Median US GDP Estimate for 1Q Ticks Slightly Positive (The Capital Spectator) 
Even though a lot of signs are pointing to recession, it looks like we might see a third straight quarterly rise in output. 

Investors Pull Near Record Sums From Corporate Bond ETFs (Financial Times) 
Investment-grade and high-yield funds had combined outflows of $8.3 billion in February. 

Market Timing & Interest Rates (A Wealth of Common Sense) 
The good news about 5% bond yields is that more conservative investors no longer have to stretch.