Morgan Stanley Anuncia "Investimento para Católicos". Que Católicos?

Texto do site ThinkAdvisor noticia que o grupo financeiro Morgan Stanley resolveu criar um "programa de investimentos com valores  católicos". O grupo teria sido estimulado pela passagem do Papa Francisco no Estados Unidos.

Antes de saber dos detalhes. Pensemos. O que seria um investimento católico?

Para mim, seria um investimento usando como abordagem aquilo que diferencia o catolicismo de muitas outras religiões. Como por exemplo, um investimento que lutasse contra o aborto ou a eutanásia e defendesse o casamento tradicional.

Acontece que o programa de "investimentos com valores  católicos" do grupo financeiro fala apenas em investimentos que protegem o meio ambiente, moradia barata, contra discriminação e "outras políticas construtivas".

Isto é, o que o grupo chama de "valores católicos" são valores seculares, "humanistas", defendidos por inúmeros ateus que podem até odiar as doutrinas da Igreja Católica.

E o ThinkAdvisor ainda diz que o anúncio do programa de investimentos vem no mesmo dia que o grupo é acusado de investir muito na indústria de carvão, a mais ambientalmente poluente produtora de energia.

Tudo realmente é muito estúpido e hipócrita no mercado financeiro. Vejam texto do ThinkAdvisor

Morgan Stanley Introduces Catholic-Focused Investing Program

The news comes the same day the company is targeted for its support of the coal industry

The influence of Pope Francis’ recent visit to New York is being felt at Morgan Stanley (MS). The wirehouse said early Friday that it is rolling out a tool kit for financial advisors based on Catholic values.

“We are pleased to provide our [individual and institutional] clients with strategies to pursue risk-adjusted financial returns in tandem with faith-based objectives,” said Hilary Irby, Head of Morgan Stanley’s Investing with Impact Initiative, in a statement. “There continues to be a growing range of investment choices and opportunities in the Catholic values space, across mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and separately managed accounts.”

According to the firm, the initiative aims to help investors “customize their portfolios to align with their personal and institutional faith-based goals.”

It is part of Morgan Stanley’s broader Investing with Impact Platform, which was introduced in 2012 and includes more than 130 investment products focused on environmental and social impact investing.

News of the company’s Catholic-values rollout came on the same day that the Rainforest Action Network staged rallies in nine major cities calling for Morgan Stanley to divest from the coal industry. According to the group, Citigroup said recently it would make cuts to its coal-financing projects, and Bank of America also made a similar pledge.

The financial sector boosted income 7% on average in the latest period as sales jumped 19% from a year ago.
 

In early June, Morgan Stanley issued a $500 million green bond to fund the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. As for when it may consider changing its approach to coal, the company referenced its enviornmental policy statement that says it is "committed to considering environmental issues in all aspects of our business, including how we evaluate companies, transactions and risk ... and how we promote and develop new market opportunities. We believe that our approach to environmental issues helps us pursue our principal focus of creating long-term value for our shareholders and serving the long-term interests of our clients."

The company’s Catholic-values program can assist investors who want to invest in firms that support affordable housing, high environmental standards and other constructive policies, according to a press release: “It also provides guidance to investors who seek to avoid companies that engage in discrimination, predatory lending or other activities inconsistent with Catholic values.”


(Agradeço o texto ao site Center for Law and Religion Fórum)