Afternoon Coffee: Investors ask private firms to disclose ESG info; First-time jobless claims fall again

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With the rise in private equity funding, more investors see the need forprivate companies to disclose ESG information, the data on environmental, social and governance issues that public business must disclose, Reuters reports.

Private Markets Pilot, a group of investors managing $2.3 trillion in assets, has called for more than 1,000 private firms to disclose the information so that risks are more apparent when doing deals. The group includes investors like M&G, Beach Point Capital, Coller Capital and Intermediate Capital Group.

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Reuters reports that the project comes as investors put record amounts of capital into private equity and debt markets. The group said private equity net asset value has grown three times as fast as public markets since 2000, Reuters reports.

"Encouraging more private companies to actively measure and disclose their carbon impacts — and also their water and possible deforestation impacts — is no longer a nice-to-have. It is essential to the low-carbon transition," said Adam Black, Partner and Head of ESG & Sustainability at Coller Capital.

"Moreover, it will better enable investors to make much more informed investment management decisions when it comes to the private markets."

Read ourseries on ESG technology and the vendorswho can help make a difference.

Weekly jobless claims fall again

The first-time filings forUS unemployment claims fell to 310,000— which eclipsed the prior week's record of 345,000 claims, according to data released today. It's a further sign that some aspects of the Covid disruption are improving. But with the delta variant spreading and an overall employment crisis, the picture isn't all rosy.

CNBC reports that 335,000 claims were expected for the week ended Sept. 4, according to economists surveyed by Dow Jones.

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