Investment
94% of industry backs increased trustee power to halt potential scam transfers
Trustees should have the ability to pause suspected scam transfers, respondents agreed in a Professional Pensions poll.
Federal Reserve: No interest rate hikes until end of 2023
The US Federal Reserve sent out "strong, powerful guidance" on Wednesday (16 September), as it predicted interest rates would stay near zero until at least the end of 2023.
TPR to remove late payment reporting flexibility from January
The time flexibility provisions introduced to help schemes which need to report late payments from employers for workplace pension schemes will be revoked, The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has confirmed.
DB members with weak employers face 50% chance of benefits cut
Defined benefit (DB) scheme members with weaker employers face a 50% chance of a cut in benefits due to sponsor insolvency, according to Hymans Robertson.
Mercer launches DB master trust as scheme pressures grow
Mercer has launched a defined benefit (DB) master trust in a bid to offer a “best-in-class solution” that recognises the shrinking universe.
Pension Schemes Bill will be law by the end of the year
Despite an anticipated delay in the Pension Schemes Bill being debated in the House of Commons, Guy Opperman has confirmed he fully expects it to be law by the end of 2020.
Government called on to decouple employee/employer AE thresholds
Investment and advice giant Quilter has called on the government to consider decoupling employee and employer contribution thresholds for auto-enrolment (AE) due to the pressures of Covid-19.
SEI boosts master trust offering with Moneyhub partnership
SEI has partnered with Moneyhub in a bid to enhance its master trust offering and help members improve their financial wellbeing.
DC value consultation a 'wake up call' but consolidation not always easy
Plans to improve value to members in defined contribution (DC) plans by improving investment options and governance while consolidating small schemes have been welcomed as a “wake-up call” for the industry.
Pension Awareness Week 2020: AE 'solves retirement money worries' say one in four
While many savers remain concerned about funding retirement, more than a quarter say auto-enrolment (AE) provisions have solved their worries, Close Brothers research shows.
Is self-sufficiency a good measure for DB funding?
Professor Michael Bromwich explores the key differences between technical provisions and self-sufficiency, and how they can relate to a long-term objective.
Spot the Dog: Number of underperforming funds jumps by 'staggering' 65%
A record-breaking 150 ‘dog’ funds have been identified in the latest bi-annual Bestinvest Spot the Dog report, with total assets of £54.4bn sitting in these vehicles.
Schemes in 'denial' over dependence on 'once-a-century' equity performance to close funding gaps
Underfunded defined benefit (DB) pension schemes in the UK are over-dependent on historically improbable equity returns, analysis by Willis Towers Watson reveals.
Industry Voice: Credit research looms large in the era of Covid-19
In the wake of severe credit-market dislocations earlier this year, Wellington Management’s Mahmoud El-Shaer shares his thoughts on the growing importance of credit research in a still-uncertain environment.
DWP launches consultation to improve DC outcomes
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has launched a consultation to improve saver outcomes and promote investment in green technology and infrastructure.
UK pensions, ESG and building back better with gold
John Mulligan of the World Gold Council says UK advisers are overlooking gold
UK investment consultants form joint working group on sustainability
A dozen UK investment consulting firms have established a group aiming to improve sustainable investment practices across the investment industry.
Pensions 'holidays' wiping thousands from DC market
One in ten UK workers have paused their pension contributions during the Covid-19 pandemic with their absence from the defined contribution (DC) space bringing serious implications for the retirement landscape.
A new DB code on the horizon
Nigel Cayless looks at TPR's proposed funding regime and whether a more objective approach is on the way
Pension schemes subjects of 'social engineering' in government climate risk disclosure proposal
Complying with the government’s proposals for climate risk disclosure is an unnecessary burden on schemes which are being used as vehicles for social engineering, PP poll respondents say.
BlackRock unveils suite of ESG multi-asset ETFs
BlackRock has launched a suite of three ESG multi-asset exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to provide investors with a "cost-efficient, transparent and sustainable way" to invest during times of market uncertainty.
Partner Insight: Reassessing retirement income
Jon Bell of Newton discusses achieving income objectives in a low interest world
Credit downgrades pose 'serious challenge' for UK schemes
A falling average quality of fixed income indices combined with intensifying competition for high-quality assets could make it more challenging and costly for pension funds using benchmarks.
Calls for greater trustee power as WPC scam inquiry consultation closes
Trustees need to be given the choice to directly refuse pension transfers if the industry is to properly plug the proliferation of scams, the Work and Pensions Committee (WPC) has been told.
