MSCI
MSCI launches climate indices to help investors align with Paris Agreement
MSCI has launched eight indices to enable institutional investors to position their portfolios in line with the Paris Agreement to keep global temperatures within 1.5 degrees.
ESG ratings: Present problems and future solutions
James Baxter-Derrington talks to ESG investment specialists about current issues in the ESG ratings market and how the market might look in years to come.
PP Investment Awards 2020 - Shortlists published
Here they are… The shortlists for this year's Professional Pensions Investment Awards.
Coronavirus crisis adds urgency to sustainable investing agenda
Dan Roarty looks at how the companies with the strongest ESG ratings have fared financially in comparison to their peers throughout the pandemic
Sweating it out in the search for yield
Schemes looking for higher yields face more risk. Stephanie Hawthorne asks if they can take it on the chin in today’s feverish environment.
Nest allocates £200m to BlackRock's ESG cash fund
Auto-enrolment master trust Nest has invested in an “environmentally aware” cash fund run by BlackRock as it steps up its climate change investment policy.
MSCI publishes Principles of Sustainable Investing
MSCI is calling for all investors globally to more readily integrate ESG considerations throughout their investment processes to contribute to “an effective balanced transition towards a sustainable economy”.
PP Investment Awards 2019 - Shortlists published
Here they are… The shortlists for this year's Professional Pensions Investment Awards.
LifeSight to adopt 50% ESG strategy for default fund amid DC 'challenges'
Willis Towers Watson's LifeSight is the first defined contribution (DC) master trust to allocate around half of equity investments in the default fund to environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies.
How gender pay gap data is being used in investor engagement
Since April, firms with more than 250 employees have had to report gender pay gap data. James Phillips explores how asset managers and pension schemes are using this in their engagement
Brunel selects MSCI benchmarks for £10bn equity allocation
Brunel Pension Partnership has selected MSCI to provide benchmark data for £10bn of its equity allocation.
How useful are ESG fund ratings?
ESG fund ratings are an oft-used tool for impact investing, but lack of standardised data means other analysis is necessary. James Phillips explores their usefulness
How corporate governance guidance will empower pension funds
Corporate governance guidelines aim to improve decision-making processes by listening to stakeholders better. James Phillips explores how pension funds will benefit
Diversified equity portfolios could lose 11% under hard Brexit
Failed negotiations on the terms of the UK's departure from the European Union (EU) could see globally diversified equity portfolios lose as much as 11%.
Russell Investments appoints head of UK institutional
Jim Leggate has been made head of UK institutional at Russell Investments and will relocate to London from the Middle East.
Just 15% of funds have large tilt towards sustainable factors
The number of funds that consider environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues when they make investment decisions is small according to MSCI research.
Are UK schemes looking overseas for property exposure?
UK pension schemes have invested heavily in their local market but Helen Morrissey asks if they can benefit from looking further afield.
Why you should assess carbon risk in portfolios
Aatish Suchak highlights the importance of managing carbon risk in a portfolio.
EAPF moves into low carbon passive after climate risk concerns
The Environment Agency Pension Fund (EAPF) has moved its entire £280m global passive equities portfolio into low carbon passive indices following concerns over its climate risk exposure.
Private rental sector: The opportunities and challenges
Recent IPD figures show healthy returns can be had from the residential property sector. Helen Morrissey looks at the opportunities and challenges this sector holds for pension schemes.
DC members misled over exposure to emerging markets
Savers in defined contribution (DC) default funds are far more exposed to emerging markets than they realise, a research paper has warned.
Tower Watson's Urwin joins 300 Club
Roger Urwin has become the newest member of the 300 Club, an independent group made up of leading investment professionals from across the globe.
CoE appoints MSCI to screen investments for payday lenders, porn and guns
The Church of England (CoE) Pensions Board has appointed MSCI ESG Research to help it filter out investments in high interest rate lenders, tobacco, pornography, gambling and weapons.
Firms with biggest deficits underperforming market by 28%
Share prices of firms with the biggest pension deficits relative to their size have significantly underperformed the market average in the last three years, says Morgan Stanley Research.
