There will be a significant increase in demand for ESG-compliant investment products, around 38 percent of respondents said DUBAI: The growing demand in Islamic and environmental, social, and governance (ESG)-compliant investments is expected to increase asset inflows over the next 12 months. This is according to asset managers in Gulf countries, based on Moody’s 2021 survey of chief investment officers (CIOs) from eight leading fund firms. “Half of CIO respondents expect double-digit growth in net inflows, and another 33% foresee a high single-digit increase,” Vanessa Robert, vice-president of senior credit officer at Moody’s Investors Service said. “Improved investment results and stronger fees, already comparatively high in the GCC region, will further support revenue growth,” she added. There will be a significant increase in demand for ESG-compliant investment products, around 38 percent of respondents said, while half of them expect sales of Islamic products will grow faster than sales of conventional investments in the next year. The report also found around 50 percent of respondents said they were open to merger and acquisition activities within the next two years