S&P Global Inc. - SPGI STOCK NEWS

S&P Global Market Intelligence and Oliver Wyman have partnered with Citi to facilitate its transition to a low-carbon economy through the use of Climate Credit Analytics. This innovative analytics tool assesses the impact of climate risks on creditworthiness, combining S&P's advanced credit risk models with Oliver Wyman's climate scenario expertise. Citi becomes the first bank to implement this tool, enhancing its climate risk analysis as part of its Sustainable Progress Strategy and TCFD initiatives.

A recent analysis by S&P Global Trucost shows that a portfolio aligned with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outperformed the S&P 500 over six years, increasing by 136.2% versus the S&P 500's 125.8%. This performance difference of 10.4% indicates that incorporating the Trucost SDG dataset can enhance returns. The CEO, Richard Mattison, noted heightened interest in companies' societal impacts, especially post-pandemic. The study highlights that companies with higher revenue from SDG-related products tend to outperform their peers.

S&P Global Platts has launched first-to-market hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) values in Europe as of November 10, 2020, enhancing price transparency amid the industry's shift to lower carbon fuels. The daily assessments, based on used cooking oil costs, average $1,388.5 per metric ton, reflecting a premium over ultra-low sulphur diesel's $332.6. Demand for HVO is expected to rise to over 3 million metric tons by 2030, driven by stringent EU emission targets. This initiative is part of Platts' response to increasing market needs for renewable fuel pricing.

The S&P Global Platts analysis on the 2020 US Elections highlights potential impacts on the energy sector. A Trump re-election could mean continued deregulation and support for fossil fuels, while a Biden victory may tighten regulations and boost renewables. Economic growth and trade outlooks under Biden could support energy prices, despite risks from potential oil supply increases from Iran and Venezuela. Political polls favor Biden, suggesting a significant shift in policies that could affect both fossil fuel and renewable industries, with implications for energy prices and investment.

On Nov. 2, 2020, S&P Global Ratings released a report titled "Extreme Weather Events: How We Evaluate The Credit Impacts In U.S. Public Finance." The report outlines S&P's methodology for assessing credit ratings in the context of extreme weather events like hurricanes and wildfires. It emphasizes that credit quality before a disaster significantly influences post-event credit stability. The report aims to inform market participants about potential credit impacts, although it clarifies that it does not involve any rating actions.

In Q3 2020, U.S. broadcast station M&A volume surged to $534.7 million, a significant increase from $90.3 million in Q2, attributed to COVID-19 recovery, according to Kagan, part of S&P Global Market Intelligence. The largest transaction was E.W. Scripps Co.'s acquisition of ION Media Holdings Inc. for $338.0 million. Other notable deals included Nexstar’s option for WPIX-DT at $75 million and TEGENA’s $19 million purchase of KMPX-DT. Overall, market activity rebounded strongly, with 63% of the quarter's total coming from the ION deal.