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Yuliya Plyakha Ferenc
Vice President, MSCI Research
Yuliya Plyakha Ferenc specializes in ESG portfolio-management research at MSCI. She previously served as an academic researcher at the Luxembourg School of Finance and Goethe University. Yuliya has published research on portfolio construction, smart beta and asset pricing, and serves as a lecturer at EBS University. She holds a doctorate in finance from Goethe University, a master’s degree in financial mathematics from the TU Kaiserslautern and a master’s in mathematics from Kiev University.
Research and Insights
Articles by Yuliya Plyakha Ferenc
Wealth Managers, Direct Indexing and ADRs
2 mins read Quick Take | May 31, 2023 | Joseph Wickremasinghe , Yuliya Plyakha FerencWealth managers now have the option to complement domestic allocations with direct indexing using the 370 constituents of the MSCI EAFE Expanded ADR Index.
Climate and ESG Indexes in Focus: Sectors Told the Story
6 mins read Blog | May 8, 2023 | Guillermo Cano , Yuliya Plyakha Ferenc , Manish Shakdwipee , Román MendozaWe review the drivers of performance for ESG and climate indexes over the first quarter of 2023, and investigate the explanatory power of the carbon-efficiency factor over time.
How ESG Risk Management Can Impact Security Risk
Research Report | Apr 13, 2023 | Yuliya Plyakha Ferenc , Zoltán Nagy , Guido Giese , Miranda Carr , Blessy VargheseFollowing extensive research showing an improvement in risk-adjusted returns for companies with higher ESG ratings, we look beyond what a company’s ESG issues were to how that company dealt with them — and the impact that had on stock-specific risk.
ESG Ratings Financial Performance Blurred but Still Present in 2022
1 mins read Quick Take | Feb 14, 2023 | Yuliya Plyakha FerencSome systematic factors flipped the direction of their contribution last year relative to recent years. We analyzed the return drivers of companies with different MSCI ESG Ratings in 2022.
The Performance of ESG Indexes: Year in Review
6 mins read Blog | Jan 31, 2023 | Saurabh Katiyar , Yuliya Plyakha FerencThere were several dynamics that influenced the performance of ESG indexes in 2022. We examine the impact of macroeconomic and financial conditions on returns in the short- and long-term.
ESG Indexes Lifted by Carbon-Efficient Firms but Underperformed
6 mins read Blog | Oct 31, 2022 | Saurabh Katiyar , Yuliya Plyakha FerencWhile much of the market volatility endured, the MSCI ESG Indexes’ performance drivers varied from the first half to the third quarter of 2022. We examine the impact of macroeconomic and financial conditions on returns in the short- and long-term.
MSCI ESG Indexes Underperformed but Met ESG Objectives
6 mins read Blog | Aug 24, 2022 | Yuliya Plyakha Ferenc , Saurabh KatiyarThere have been specific dynamics that have influenced ESG-index performance in the first half of 2022. We examine the impact of macroeconomic and financial conditions on return in the short- and long-term.
ESG Reporting in Long-Short Portfolios
Research Report | Apr 19, 2022 | Rumi Mahmood , Yuliya Plyakha Ferenc , Miranda Carr , Yu IshiharaWe draw on our consultation with owners and managers of long-short portfolios to recommend best practices for fund-level ESG and climate reporting.
Implications of Shorting on Cost of Capital and ESG: Empirical Evidence
Research Report | Apr 19, 2022 | Yuliya Plyakha FerencWe draw on our consultation with owners and managers of long-short portfolios to recommend best practices for fund-level ESG and climate reporting.
Despite Oil & Gas’s Rebound, ESG Indexes Outperformed
7 mins read Blog | Jan 28, 2022 | Yuliya Plyakha FerencIn 2021, oil and gas stocks bounced back after five years of weak performance. However, leading MSCI ESG Indexes, which often have lower weights to high-carbon emission industries such as oil and gas, were resilient last year. What drove performance?
Are Your Clients Ready for US Tax Day?
6 mins read Blog | May 10, 2021 | Raina Oberoi , Yuliya Plyakha Ferenc , Joseph Wickremasinghe , Paulina SerranoGiven the complexity of U.S. tax regulation, wealth advisers continue to grapple with how to build tax-efficient portfolios while balancing clients’ other objectives. We propose a rules-based way of doing so and analyze its benefits and trade-offs.