Fed rate hikes can rattle ESG investing

+ the real priest behind 'The Pope's Exorcist' movie US Edition - Today's top story: Fed rate hikes, recession fears and political backlash leave ESG investors at a crossroads [View in browser]( US Edition | 4 May 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [Barring trans Montana rep weakens democratic norms]( - [Peanut butter is a liquid – mechanical engineer explains why]( - [Is “vagrant” Steller’s sea eagle out of its range on purpose?]( Lead story The Federal Reserve raised interest rates again on Wednesday to try to tamp down inflation – and hinted that it might be done with increases for a while. You’ve probably read about the impact those rate increases are [having on banks]( like First Republic and Silicon Valley Bank, and their potential impact [on small businesses](. But rate increases can also rattle long-term investors, including those investing in sustainability, better known as ESG investing. Sehoon Kim, a sustainable finance expert at the University of Florida, [explains the pressure]( that the combination of higher interest rates, fear of a recession and political attacks by Republican state lawmakers and officials can put on investors who look for strong environmental, social and governance performance in companies. [[Sign up here to our topic-specific weekly emails.](] Stacy Morford Environment + Climate Editor ESG investing looks for companies that do well on environmental, social and governance benchmarks. Zhengshun Tang/Moment via Getty Images [Fed rate hikes, recession fears and political backlash leave ESG investors at a crossroads]( Sehoon Kim, University of Florida Three forces are pulling down ESG’s once-rapid rise in the investment world. Ethics + Religion - [The real priest behind ‘The Pope’s Exorcist’ was a fan of Hollywood horror films]( Joseph P. Laycock, Texas State University How did blockbuster horror films such as ‘The Exorcist’ help the church warm to the controversial ritual? Arts + Culture - [The coronation of King Charles III: 5 Essential reads on the big royal bash – and what it all means]( Matt Williams, The Conversation The pageantry of the coronation will be broadcast around the world. Here’s what to expect over the three days of celebrations. - [Jerry Springer may have perfected the art of chasing ratings, but his predecessors laid the groundwork]( Donna L. Halper, Lesley University In the competitive media landscape of the early 1990s, seizing audience attention was a priority. What better way to do it than with a cheaply produced show that appealed to viewers’ basest instincts? Economy + Business - [Can Biden and McCarthy avert a calamitous debt default? 3 evidence-backed leadership strategies that might help]( Wendy K. Smith, University of Delaware Research shows that leaders who can embrace competing demands and focus on the long term are more likely to succeed. Politics + Society - [Banning, repressing and shutting down speech has become a bipartisan thing]( Erica Goldberg, University of Dayton Free speech is under attack from both sides of the political spectrum. - [Montana House Rep. Zooey Zephyr’s censure shows that American standards of political decorum are failing]( Alauna Safarpour, Harvard Kennedy School Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, first established a set of political decorum rules in legislatures to help establish stability during the country’s early years. - [The firings of Don Lemon and Tucker Carlson doesn’t mean the end of hyperpartisan cable news networks]( Nolan Higdon, California State University, East Bay Since the 1980s, cable news networks have focused on hyperpartisan news coverage to attract core audiences in an increasingly fragmented media market. Environment + Energy - [Vagrant, machine or pioneer? How we think about a roving eagle offers insights into human attitudes toward nature]( Adriana Craciun, Boston University A Steller’s sea eagle, native to the Asian Arctic, has traveled across North America since 2021. A scholar questions whether the bird is lost – and how well humans really understand animals’ actions. Science + Technology - [Peanut butter is a liquid – the physics of this and other unexpected fluids]( Ted Heindel, Iowa State University A mechanical engineer explains why you need to go with the flow. The TSA pronouncement that peanut butter is a liquid is scientifically sound. - [AI is helping astronomers make new discoveries and learn about the universe faster than ever before]( Chris Impey, University of Arizona Artificial intelligence tools are making waves in almost every aspect of life, and astronomy is no different. An astronomer explains the history and future of AI in understanding the universe. Trending on site - [Enigmatic human fossil jawbone may be evidence of an early Homo sapiens presence in Europe – and adds mystery about who those humans were]( - [The thinking error that makes people susceptible to climate change denial]( - [Recent banking crises are rooted in a system that rewards excessive risk-taking – as First Republic’s failure shows]( Today's graphic [A chart showing the reasons for suicide given by Black women and men.]( From the story, [Hopelessness about the future is a key reason some Black young adults consider suicide, new study finds]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly and biweekly emails: • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Trying out new social media? 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