The research conducted by students in the Master's in Financial Management program focused on how performance on these indicators can influence sovereign bond spreads, offering new insights into the impact of sustainable policies on risk perception in financial markets.
Once the research, supervised by PhD candidate Martín Pereyra, was completed, the reviewers suggested that they submit a proposal to the Central Bank of Uruguay’s conference to present their findings.
In this interview, they reflected on the work process and the challenges they faced, and shared their expectations regarding the results achieved.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtS5E_CmTAg
In simple terms, a sovereign bond spread refers to the difference in interest rates between bonds issued by different countries and U.S. bonds.
Claudio Barneche Rey explained that “the higher the risk, the higher the rate of return, ” meaning that countries with more volatile economies offer higher returns to compensate investors.
A country with better ESG indicators may be perceived as less risky due to its sustainable policies and strong governance, which can lead to lower borrowing costs.
Claudio Barneche Rey, Esq.
"When the ESG index is higher, the spread on sovereign bonds tends to be lower," noted Belén Panario. This reflectsa positive perception among investors.
Upon breaking down the components of the ESG index, it was found that while the governance aspect significantly influences risk perception, the environmental and social components do not have the same impact on this relationship.
The presence of strong and transparent institutions in countries has a significant impact on reducing the risk perceived by investors.
Belén Panario, B.A.
This research could have “significant implications” for financial strategies in emerging economies, concluded Josefina Grezzi, CPA.
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Master's in Financial Management