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UK savers want pension funds to help finance economic growth

2026-10-12T15:03:00+01:00By

Research finds pension savers back infrastructure investment, but domestic capital alone will not meet the UK’s needs

Care home

LCP proposes pension-style auto-enrolment to fund social care

2026-10-12T10:00:00+01:00By

The UK consultancy expects the new proposed opt-out scheme to pool care costs, protect savings and raise an estimated £3.5bn annually

European-Union-Flag-low-res_720x405

EU ministers agree package to ease cross-border fund management

2026-10-12T09:30:00+01:00By

Cross-border fund reforms and supervisory changes move closer as member states agree their negotiating position on capital markets integration

In focus this week

IPE Sep-Oct 2026 venture capital feature

Analysis

European pension funds increase venture capital allocations amid EU policy push

Europe’s startups and scaleups are hungry for patient capital, and the continent’s pension funds are cautiously expanding their footprint in this strategic market, writes Carlo Svaluto Moreolo

Evidence and ambition- The new rules of engagement on climate change

SEC scrutiny unlikely to halt European pension funds’ climate collaboration

2026-10-12T09:00:00+01:00By

European pension funds defend collaborative climate engagement as US regulatory scrutiny raises concerns over shareholder stewardship

Varma

Varma invests more in Finnish anti-drone tech provider Sensofusion

2026-10-12T08:30:00+01:00By

Pension insurance company makes €68mn follow-on investment in counter-drone technology via unicorn’s Helsinki IPO

Global Private Credit

M&G targets DC pension demand with diversified private credit LTAF

2026-10-12T08:00:00+01:00By

The LTAF launches with £74m, including capital from M&G’s £138bn With Profits Fund

More news

In depth

Comment

Frédéric Ducoulombier at EDHEC Climate Institute

Adaptation: Business as usual and business unusual

By Frédéric Ducoulombier, EDHEC Climate Institute

As resistance to emissions mitigation intensifies and climate damages become harder to ignore, political attention is increasingly turning towards adaptation

Olivier D'Assier at SimCorp

The AI leopard changes its spots

By Olivier d’Assier, SimCorp

Equity investors have spent the past 18 months watching the AI leopard change its spots – the latest spot is capex, currently spreading through equity and credit pricing

Carlo Svaluto Moreolo at IPE

It is high time European pension funds raised their allocations to European venture capital

By

If European policymakers are serious about reviving economic growth and securing Europe’s competitive position on the global stage, they urgently need to focus on closing the “innovation gap” with the US.

More comment

People Moves

Carine Smith Ihenacho at NBIM

NBIM governance chief’s role to disappear from board after Smith Ihenacho exit

2026-10-06T10:00:00+01:00

Norwegian sovereign wealth fund to reorganise areas under Carine Smith Ihenacho when she leaves, bringing active ownership into active management department 

People

People moves: L&G names managing director for European asset management

2026-10-01T08:00:00+01:00

Plus: AllianceBernstein picks president and CEO; Aptia appoints head of corporate pension consulting

Management Board VBV Vorsorgekasse

VBV Group integrates severance and pension funds’ boards

2026-09-28T13:42:00+01:00

As part of the reshuffle, in October, Christian Reiss will assume the position of CEO of the severance fund

More People News

Analysis

Evidence and ambition- The new rules of engagement on climate change

SEC scrutiny unlikely to halt European pension funds’ climate collaboration

By

European pension funds defend collaborative climate engagement as US regulatory scrutiny raises concerns over shareholder stewardship

IPE UK newsletter briefing

IPE UK Briefing: Scale and removing investment barriers

By

Plus: UK pensions industry backs government’s plans to increase scale in workplace DC schemes; NEST confirms meeting Mansion House Compact targets

Interest rates unsettle real estate investors

New German pension valuation rules could raise corporate liabilities

By

Higher values for underlying securities could increase German companies’ pension provisions and create greater exposure to market fluctuations

Asset owner cogs w

Asset owner October insights: asset allocation changes, European investments, debates over pension reform

By

Dutch pension funds continue to restructure portfolios ahead of the transitions; assets flow towards European SMEs and VC, and the debate over pension reform has intensified 

New York City

Climate Week NYC: Resilience takes centre stage as AI raises climate concerns

By

Investors focused on adaptation, resilience, energy security and AI’s growing environmental footprint at Climate Week NYC

More Analysis

Interviews

Mirko Cardinale, USS

Universities Superannuation Scheme: climate scenario analysis and long-term investment strategy

By

Head of investment strategy Mirko Cardinale translates environmental change forecasts into fund management decisions for investors 

Markus Aho, Varma

Varma CIO Markus Aho on diversification, geopolitical risk and investing in a resilient bull market

By

Markus Aho, Varma’s deputy CEO and CIO, reflects on market resilience, investor complacency and favouring diversification over ‘idealistic’ exclusions

MIchael Freno, CEO Barings

Barings CEO Michael Freno: "The private credit opportunity extends well beyond direct lending"

By

Barings CEO Michael Freno tells Carlo Svaluto Moreolo about the firm’s strategy to build out its capabilities in public and private credit, insurance solutions, real assets and emerging markets 

IPE Spotlight

Spotlight on UK LGPS: Border to Coast’s £120bn scale opens door to deeper global partnerships

By

Seven new funds take Border to Coast to £120bn, creating scale for investment and global partnerships

Lutz Horstick

ÄVWL CIO Lutz Horstick on change and investment shifts at the German doctors’ pension fund

By

The past 18 months have seen a shake-up at the top of the doctors’ pension fund for the Westphalia-Lippe region. New CIO Lutz Horstick tells Luigi Serenelli how the new management is looking to the future

More interviews

European pension funds join the VC race


  • European startups and scaleups are hungry for patient capital and the continent’s pension funds are expanding their footprint in this strategic market
Read more
IPE Sept-Oct 2026 cover

IPE Magazine September/October 2026

Read the latest issue of IPE Magazine

Browse the digital edition and find highlights from this month's issue below

Digital edition of IPE magazine

September/October Highlights

Pension Funds

Mirko Cardinale, USS

Universities Superannuation Scheme: climate scenario analysis and long-term investment strategy

Head of investment strategy Mirko Cardinale translates environmental change forecasts into fund management decisions for investors 

Markus Aho, Varma

Varma CIO Markus Aho on diversification, geopolitical risk and investing in a resilient bull market

Markus Aho, Varma’s deputy CEO and CIO, reflects on market resilience, investor complacency and favouring diversification over ‘idealistic’ exclusions

More on pension funds

Investment

Oil well - Photo: Joa_Souza, iStock

Emerging market debt outlook 2026: Bottom-up analysis remains critical

By

Many EM countries have improved their macro fundamentals, but rising US Treasury yields pose a challenge

SpaceX rocket launch - Photo- Daniel Hull, iStock

Index providers adapt IPO inclusion rules for SpaceX: the governance trade-offs for institutional investors

By

If the first 25 years of the 21st century will be remembered for the launch of the iPhone, social media, political populism and the rise of retail AI, the IPO of Space Exploration Technologies Corp – aka SpaceX – is a strong contender to be an emblematic financial event of 2026. 

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