WV Adds Citigroup, HSBC, TD Bank, Northern Trust to ESG Banned List
In February, West Virginia State Treasurer Riley Moore sent notices to six financial institutions warning them of potential inclusion on the state’s Restricted Financial Institution List (can’t do business with the state) after his office made an initial determination that the institutions appear to be engaged in boycotts of fossil fuel companies as defined under state law (see WV Warns 6 More Banks They are in Danger of Blacklist re ESG). Four of the six, including the Chinese-owned HSBC, were just added to the list. It’s lights out for these four companies as far as doing business with the State of West Virginia.
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