In total, SNCF Réseau has so far raised €5.4 billion in green bonds, nearly doubling the figure this year, now ranks seventh in the global green bond issuance market. According to rating agency Moody's, issuers brought $66.6 billion of green bonds to market globally the second quarter of 2019, up 47% on an annualized basis compared to 2018.

The Bank of England governor, Mark Carney has challenged the dollar’s position as the world’s reserve currency, arguing that it could be replaced by a global digital alternative. He said a new digital currency backed by a large group of nations would unlock dollar funds that governments currently hoard as an insurance policy in uncertain times.

According to the estimates by the European Commission, implementing the strategy will require an increase in spending to 2.8% of the European Union’s GDP, translating to €520 to €575 billion a year in total for the entire Union’s economy. For the Polish power sector alone, the estimated financial investments will amount to €215 billion over 2020-2045.

In Scandinavia sub-zero rates have been the norm longer than most other places. So far banks haven’t passed negative rates on to private customer. Key investors may not accept that approach much longer. Sampo Oyj, the Finnish holding company that owns about 20% of Nordea Bank Abp, says it is high time attitudes change on the subject.

Renewable energy such as wind power can create problems for the National Grid. Gas and coal-fired power stations have more flexibility. When one drops off it's easier for another to pick up the slack. Wind power is less effective as a "shock absorber" to shifts in supply and demand, according to the energy analyst.

After three years of decline, global energy investment stabilized in 2018 at over USD 1.8 trillion. Investment was driven by higher upstream oil, gas and coal supply spending while that in energy efficiency was stable and renewables spending edged down, adjusted for costs, renewables investment is up 55% since 2010.

Gold, once mocked for its lack of yield, offers something the growing pile of negative-yielding bonds doesn’t, inflation protection. As holders of promissory notes watch the real value of their savings drain away amid central bankers’ efforts to kick-start growth, the allure of one of the oldest investment assets has become ever stronger.

It makes sense that green bonds are meant for green companies. But there aren’t that many of them — not enough to meet the rising demand from investors who want their money to have a positive impact on the environment. So what if some of that money went to finance green activities by less-than-green firms.

There’s a multitrillion-dollar black hole growing at the heart of the world’s financial markets. Negative-yielding debt – bonds worth less, not more, if held to maturity – is spreading to more corners of the bond universe, destroying potential returns for investors and turning the system as we know it on its head.

GGF 2019 report calculates total green bond issuance of EUR6.6bn in 2018, placing Germany fourth in annual country rankings after the US, China and France. The week is ending with the Financial Times reporting on German Finance Ministry’s moves towards issuing a green bund for 2020.

Italy and Austria have come to the market recently with ultra-long duration debt sales. It’s remarkable that the latter managed to get a 98-year issue away with a 1.17% interest rate. Kit Juckes, a currency analyst at Societe Generale SA, wrote on Tuesday: “the shortage of positive-yielding ‘safe’ bonds is still driving investors to overpay for what’s left.”

Last month there was less electricity in the grid as needed. To prevent a complete collapse, Germany had to draw electricity from the neighbouring countries. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) reported that due to the critical conditions in the German national grid, the country repeatedly had to rely on the neighbouring countries.