All IPE articles in June 2014 (Magazine)
View all stories from this issue.
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Features
Pressure on, pressure off
The 22 July deadline for implementation of the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD) is looming. As with other EU financial legislation, AIFMD will be enforced via national regulators and with varying approaches, so this will not be consistent across EU member states.
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Opinion Pieces
M&A medicine
The debate about Pfizer’s proposed takeover of the UK’s AstraZeneca – which should have resolved itself by the time you read this – reminds us that there are some big unanswered questions relating to institutional investors and M&A activity.
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Features
Look to the north
In the Netherlands we are sensitive to environmental problems and are aware of our vulnerability as a low-lying nation to rising sea level. After all, you have to if a fifth of your land and a fifth of your people are below sea level.
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Features
Nudging its way to reform
Nearly two years after the German pension association aba threw its weight behind the introduction of auto-enrolment, little has happened to increase the coverage of the second pillar.
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Features
Investing in a slow-growth world
Demographic trends probably mean slower economic growth in the developed world. Katherine Davidson argues that a thorough understanding of demographics will be essential for generating alpha in this environment
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Special Report
Liability-Driven Investment: Let's get physical
Are low risk-free rates, a greater willingness to take credit and illiquidity risk in matching portfolios and regulatory changes encouraging investors to turn their backs on derivatives and embrace cash-market assets?
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Special Report
Liability-Driven Investment: Mind the gap
Market conditions over the past six years have increased the necessity of managing bond-swap spread risk in LDI strategies.
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Country Report
Switzerland: A home game
An emphasis on domestic investments has left Swiss Pensionskassen with relatively stable returns. Jonathan Williams asks if there are opportunities outside traditional domestic fixed income, equity and real estate
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Features
Fuelling risk
Investors need to consider the extent to which their portfolios are exposed to rising climate-change risk, writes Mark Nicholls
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Features
High frequency problems
High frequency trading (HFT) has scuttled into the limelight this year since the publication of Flash Boys, Michael Lewis’ recent book on the subject. While most people agree that faster, smarter trading is generally good, and that rigged markets are an entirely bad thing, there is by no means agreement where HFT fits in.
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Country Report
Switzerland: Securities lending in focus
Only months before legislation on executive pay and shareholder voting comes into force, Jonathan Williams finds an industry uncertain about whether it will be forced to vote shares, and how new rules will affect securities lending
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Features
Focus Group: Do you get what you pay for?
Asset management offers poorer value for money than other service industries, if IPE’s latest Focus Group survey results are anything to go by.
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Features
Focus Group: Do you get what you pay for?
Asset management offers poorer value for money than other service industries, if IPE’s latest Focus Group survey results are anything to go by. Eighteen out of 36 respondents feel that it is worse while only 10 feel that it is better. Passive management is considered best in terms of value for money and investor-friendly fee structures, followed by benchmarked long-only active management and smart beta. Private equity and especially hedge funds are seen as the worst offenders.
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Features
Triumph of hope over experience
Book review: Money Mania: Booms, Panics and Busts from Ancient Rome to the Great Meltdown, Bob Swarup (Bloomsbury, £20)
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Features
Inflated expectations
Investors often assume that inflation protection comes as standard with infrastructure investments. Vivian Nicoli warns that it depends on a number of variables and may come at the price of lower expected nominal returns
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Opinion Pieces
TIAA-CREF expands
Six years after taking the helm as president and CEO of the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association – College Retirement Equities Fund (TIAA-CREF), Roger Ferguson announced the acquisition of Nuveen Investments in April for $6.25bn (€4.5bn), including debt.
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Country Report
Switzerland: And now for the details
Switzerland’s AV2020 reform programme remains contentious and politically charged, according to Barbara Ottawa. But some are still holding out for a depoliticisation of the process
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Features
Counting on the krona
Erik Callert, chief investment officer of SPP Livförsäkring, tells Jonathan Williams how an overhaul of its portfolio left it better equipped to deal with Solvency II
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Opinion Pieces
Lighting dark corners
The European Commission’s planned revisions to rules on shareholder rights aim to encourage a culture of long-term equity investment across the EU.
