Merrill Edge adds ESG scores to client dashboard

Merrill Lynch is making impact investing a centerpiece of Merrill Edge, the firm's digital investment service tailored to clients with less than $250,000 of investible assets. An update on Monday refreshes the Merrill Edge user interface and adds environmental, social and governance scores from MSCI. The scores will identify which investments are ESG leaders or laggards, so investors can align their portfolios with their personal values. (More: Is ESG investing going mainstream?) The new user experience also simplifies portfolio analysis and performance review with new visualizations showing clients portfolio data, education and insights. The redesign builds on a stock research tool that it launched in November that aimed to help online investors make better decisions about thousands of U.S. equities. In addition to monitoring personal portfolios, Merrill Edge investors can see how their performance compares to the broader market. The portal breaks down the portfolio's asset allocation by investment class and industry, showing overlapping items and recommended actions to build a more balanced portfolio. "Knowledge is power, and we want our self-directed clients to know as much as possible when building and managing their portfolios to help them pursue investing goals," said Aron Levine, the head of Merrill Edge. (More: ESG investing: Assessing the 'E,' 'S' and 'G') Impact investing is an increasingly popular feature on digital investing platforms. Last week, Personal Capital added socially responsible investment strategies to its digital advice service, and TIAA introduced a robo-adviser in June that provides access to SRI mutual funds and ETFs.