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Catholic investment managers and institutions have pledged to begin building a comprehensive set of faith-aligned investment services in 2025, aiming to align $1.75 trillion with Catholic Social Teaching. The initiatives stem from the second Mensuram Bonam conference in London, where leaders from 16 countries gathered to advance Christian-aligned financial practices. 

Key projects include a new Catholic market index, a proxy-voting consortium, long-term performance research, expanded fund identification, and a standardized reporting model to help investors monitor faith-consistent strategies more easily. 

These efforts reflect growing demand for portfolios that deliver competitive returns while avoiding activities inconsistent with Church teachings. 

Finsum:  With Christian assets large these initiatives could mark a turning point in building a global market for Catholic and Christian investors.

Private infrastructure—things like toll roads, utilities, and digital networks—can be a compelling “core-alternative” investment rather than a niche add-on. Private infrastructure assets generally produce predictable, long-term cash flows, supported by stable demand and often regulated pricing, which helps shield investors from market cycles. 

Because revenues tend to rely more on usage fees and long-term contracts than on economic growth, these assets can act as a hedge against inflation and equity volatility. 

Combining private infrastructure with traditional stocks and bonds can increase diversification and improve portfolio resilience, especially when public markets are unstable. For investors willing to accept lower liquidity in exchange for stable income and downside protection, private infrastructure offers a unique risk/return profile. 

Finsum: If traditional 60/40 portfolios feel too fragile, private infrastructure may be one of the closest things to a “stable core” available outside mainstream bonds and equities.

Institutional appetite for sustainable investing is rising sharply, with more than 80% of global asset owners and managers planning to increase allocations over the next two years, according to Morgan Stanley’s new Sustainable Signals 2025 report. 

Surveyed investors overwhelmingly cited strong performance and the growing maturity of ESG strategies as the primary reasons behind their expanding commitments. Demand is also reshaping the competitive landscape, as roughly 9 in 10 asset owners now view sustainable investment options as a key differentiator when selecting or retaining managers. 

Top areas of focus include renewable energy, energy efficiency, and, surging in priority this year, climate adaptation, reflecting mounting concern about physical climate risks and their impact on asset prices. 

Finsum: ESG remains a long term play as the short run outlook appears clouded by regulatory changes. 

Bitcoin has fallen under $92,000, extending its pullback from October’s record highs and raising questions about whether this is a brief correction or the start of another four-year cycle downturn. 

Analysts point to last month’s $19 billion in liquidations, combined with profit-taking by long-term holders, as key drivers of the recent slide. The decline also coincides with bitcoin’s historically vulnerable post-halving window, creating what some call a “self-fulfilling prophecy” of selling pressure. 

Still, firms like Bernstein argue the data supports consolidation toward a new bottom rather than the massive 60–70% drawdowns seen in past cycles. Institutional ETF adoption, supportive signals from the Trump administration, and continued large-scale.

Finsum: A break below the critical $93,000 level could also trigger a major buying opportunity for investors. 

Private credit firms are increasingly shifting from traditional cash-flow lending toward asset-backed finance using collateral that now includes intellectual property, data centers, and energy infrastructure. 

Despite the US ABF market totaling $5.5 trillion, private credit holds only a small share and is partnering more frequently with banks to expand. The recent bankruptcy of First Brands has raised concerns about how well lenders understand the risks in ABF, especially as more unfamiliar assets require precise valuation in a downturn. 

Demand for digital and energy infrastructure is driving ABF growth, with data center financing alone expected to jump sharply by 2028. Yet the sector has not been tested under high interest rates or recessionary conditions, prompting warnings from regulators about potential systemic risks. 

Finsum: Look for asset return correlation in stress scenario to test your demand for private markets.