BFinance
Adapting pension fund portfolios to match ESG expectations
Most asset classes have a long way to go on meeting sustainability targets and the pressure to be environmentally compliant is increasing. Hope William-Smith reports
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.
How schemes can protect against equity losses
Derivative-based overlay strategies have become more popular in the past year. Stephanie Baxter explores whether they will be widely adopted by pension funds
Bfinance appoints senior RPMI investment manager as private equity head
Investment consultancy Bfinance has hired RPMI Railpen's Sweta Chattopadhyay as director of private markets to head its equity advisory practice.
Investment consultants fail to add value in product recommendations, says CMA
Investment consultants are failing to recommend products that outperform net of fees, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has said as its investigation into the market continues.
Should there be a probe into the investment consulting market?
The FCA's eagerly anticipated final report of its asset management market study suggests an investigation of the investment consulting market, James Phillips reports.
Active management fees remain 'resilient' while passives slash prices
Global active equity management fees for the largest investors have managed to withstand growing pricing pressures in the last few years, according to research by bfinance.
Bfinance appoints head of research
Kathryn Saklatvala has been appointed global content director at Bfinance and will be responsible for the group's efforts in producing research for clients.
North Yorkshire LGPS to invest directly in European SMEs
North Yorkshire Pension Fund will invest directly in European private corporate debt for the first time following a review of its fixed income strategy.
bfinance hires former fund-of-hedge-funds risk expert Goodworth
Institutional investment advisory firm bfinance has hired Toby Goodworth as head of risk management.
LIBOR failings could hit pension schemes
Pension schemes with exposure to LIBOR-related swaps could have lost out as a result of manipulation of the lending rate.
A double whammy for LGPS
Andrew Short looks at the number of threats to the cashflows of the Local Government Pension Scheme
Hard bargaining sees institutions cut mandate fees by over a quarter
UK - Hard bargaining and encouraging competition helped institutional investors hiring managers save over a quarter on the fee levels they were initially quoted last year, research shows.
Schemes continue move away from equities and bonds
EUROPE/US - Pension funds and other institutional investors are shifting away from traditional equity and bond allocations in favour of alternative asset classes, research from bfinance shows.
Schemes shy away from bonds in favour of alternatives
Schemes will continue to cut exposure to equities and fixed income and shift investments towards property and alternatives in the next six months, bfinance says.
Property return expectations fall as economic uncertainty takes its toll
GLOBAL - Expectations for average total property returns are falling sharply around the globe as economic uncertainty, reduced access to financing and increased supply take their toll, research has warned.
Property return expectations fall as economic uncertainty takes its toll
Expectations for average total property returns are falling sharply as economic uncertainty, reduced access to financing and increased supply take their toll, a bfinance survey reveals.
Schemes seek riskier assets for diversification
EUROPE - Pension funds are continuing to diversify into riskier assets, with interest in private markets likely to increase in the short to mid-term, bfinance said.
Schemes seek riskier assets for diversification
Pension funds are continuing to diversify into riskier assets, with interest in private markets likely to increase in the short to mid-term, bfinance says.
Pension funds shift to active strategies as fees are slashed
Schemes are increasingly shifting towards active strategies as market rallies pushed down fees in 2009 across most asset classes, latest bfinance research reveals.
Gwent scheme allocates £125m to global equities
The Greater Gwent Pension (Torfaen) Pension Scheme has invested £125m in a global equities mandate with Aberdeen Asset Management following a bfinance search.
Cardiff scheme makes £25m allocation to emerging markets
The Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Pension Fund has appointed Aberdeen Asset Management to run a £25m emerging market equities brief.
Flagging returns prompt surge in manager scrutiny
Dissatisfied institutional investors launched a spate of managerial reviews as returns flagged during the first half of 2009, research from bfinance reveals.
Flagging returns prompt surge in manager scrutiny
GLOBAL - Dissatisfied institutional investors launched a spate of managerial reviews as returns flagged during the first half of 2009, research from bfinance revealed.
