Social investing demand prompts Christian share index launch

Increased demand from investors for socially responsible investment opportunities has resulted in the launch of Europe’s first Christian share index.

Trading began on the Stoxx Europe Christian Index earlier this week, with firms featuring on the list including BP, Vodafone, GlaxoSmithKline and Royal Dutch Shell.

Chief executive of Stoxx Harmut Graf was quoted by the Financial Times as saying there has been ’more and more investor demand’ from people who want to make socially responsible investments.

He said there is a growing interest in a ’transparent index that helps funds buy stocks of companies that are religiously compliant and make revenues in line with Christian values’.

To be included on the index, firms must not generate revenue from gambling, birth control, weapons, tobacco or pornography.

Businesses have been chosen from the Stoxx Europe 600 Index by a committee that Stoxx says includes Vatican representatives.

At 11:04 BST today (April 29th), the index was down 0.79 per cent to 103.87 points.ADNFCR-2318-ID-19750178-ADNFCR