Investment
Industry Voice: Economic policy or economic growth? What matters most for sovereign bond quality and performance? See Eaton Vance's latest report
In this paper, Marshall Stocker, Ph.D, CFA, explores the key drivers of sovereign bond ratings, spread performance and frequency of defaults, paying particular attention to the determinant role that economic policy plays.
NEST grows membership by nearly 30% in one year
The number of members to have ever used NEST rose by 28% over the 2018/19 fiscal year to 31 March, according to its research arm, NEST Insight.
Kent LGPS fund says Woodford closure is 'in best interests' of investors
The Kent Pension Fund has reassured members that the closure of Woodford Investment Management will not affect its ability to pay benefits.
A closer look at flexible apportionment arrangements
Flexible apportionment arrangements have become a commonly used tool for employers but, as Andy Lewis says, there can be issues for the unwary.
LEBC valuation slashed by a third after withdrawal from transfer market
LEBC’s majority shareholder B.P. Marsh & Partners has reduced the valuation of its holding in the group by 33%, following its withdrawal from the defined benefit (DB) transfer market.
Pensions industry has 'lack of clarity' on members' retirement needs
Estimates of the amount of money needed for a ‘modest’ retirement can vary by up to £500,000, according to research from Aon.
Institutional investors plan £1trn divestment from fossil fuels over next decade
Global institutional investors plan to divest 15.6% of their portfolios from fossil fuels over the next ten years, almost tripling outflows of 5.7% planned for next year, as high-profile activism on climate change gathers pace.
Global DC attitudes to inertia versus member engagement differ widely, finds Thinking Ahead
Defined contribution (DC) schemes’ visions are generally aligned, but there are mixed views on the power of the default versus member engagement, according to the Thinking Ahead Institute.
AE seven years on: Has it been a success story?
AE has successfully brought millions of people into pension savings. But, as Kim Kaveh writes, it is far from perfect.
Industry Voice: CDI - Is solely sterling feasible?
Given the modest size of the UK IG corporate bond market, we believe a globally-focused and actively managed IG corporate portfolio and a careful portfolio construction can help UK DB schemes.
Dramatic rise in employers looking to switch provider, Aviva finds
The number of employers and advisers looking to change their pension provider has increased by nearly two thirds this year, according to research by Aviva.
PPF now paying higher compensation to all members affected solely by caps
The Pension Protection Fund (PPF) has begun increasing payments to all pensioner members whose compensation falls below 50% of their pre-insolvency entitlements solely due to caps.
Four Ways to Achieve Your Diversified Growth Portfolio’s Objectives
Too many Diversified Growth Funds (DGFs) have left UK investors disappointed with performance. In this paper, AllianceBernstein show how a DGF can be designed with clear objectives, constructed using guidelines that are genuinely outcome-oriented, and...
LPGS pools launch climate and real estate funds
LGPS Central has launched a multi-factor equity fund with climate considerations core to its investment process.
Why pensions considerations are moving up the management agenda
The collapse of Thomas Cook shows how company boards must give greater attention to how pay and dividends contrast to pension scheme contributions, says Stephen Richards .
Harnessing the power of credit to boost responsible investment
While equities are often considered the best weapon to wield in ESG-related engagement, pension schemes also have huge power through their bond allocations, says Mitch Reznick
How good is your investment decision making? Take this survey to find out...
Leeds Business School and City University of London are conducting research on institutional investor decision-making in association with the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries – and they are looking for your help.
Industry Voice: Flexible credit: all-weather allocation
Flexibility means having the freedom to invest strategically across fixed-income markets. In this paper, we look at how flexible strategies generate returns by allocating capital and risk across the credit spectrum.
Oxford Uni pension scheme receives master trust approval
The University of Oxford Staff Pension Scheme has received master trust authorisation from The Pensions Regulator (TPR), taking the total number of approved schemes to 34.
DB funding - September 2019: Equities hide impact of stagnant gilts as PPF 7800 deficit falls
Every month, several firms issue trackers of the aggregate defined benefit (DB) scheme funding position. See here for the September 2019 estimates on the various measures…
The past, present and future of fiduciary management fees
As the CMA’s remedies for the fiduciary management market bed in, schemes should be thinking more about how fees are structured, says David Hickey
The next frontier for responsible investment in pensions
While the pensions industry’s approach to ESG has changed considerably since three years ago, there are still opportunities for schemes to take advantage of, says Lauren Peacock.
Exclusive: Evolve Pensions consolidates its two master trusts as BlueSky winds up
Evolve Pensions has wound up its BlueSky master trust and moved members to its other provider, Crystal, PP can reveal.
Asset management fees continue to fall following pressure from schemes
There has been a substantial reduction in fees across a number of asset classes over the past few years as pension funds continue to apply pressure on fees, Bfinance says.
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