Latest analysis – Page 29
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FeaturesDutch pensions agreement dodges the real issues
Social partners have agreed compromises relating to the state pension age and early retirement Many crucial aspects are yet to be confirmed and could still derail efforts to reform the system
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Book ReviewBook review: Achieving Investment Excellence
Fix asset allocation and the numbers will follow. This rule of thumb originated from an influential study published in 1986, which showed that 93.6% of variations in a portfolio’s returns are due to asset allocation policy.
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Features
IAS 19: How did they do it?
Two academics have analysed key amendments to IAS 19 and how they came about
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FeaturesPerspective: Growing buzz around cannabis
Legalisation of cannabis raises ethical questions for some investors, while presenting an investment opportunity for others
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FeaturesResearch: Passive investors, active owners
The rise of index investing raises important question about ownership rights and governance
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Opinion PiecesLetter from the US: On a secure retirement path
The most significant changes to US retirement plans in more than a decade look set to be approved by Congress. On 23 May, the House of Representatives passed the Secure Act – Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement – by 417-3, and the Senate is also likely to approve it, with President Donald Trump unopposed.
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FeaturesNo going back
There is no going back to the days when the key political divide was between mainstream left and right
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FeaturesEurope belatedly turns eastwards
The EU’s lack of a common strategy to respond to the rise of China as an economic superpower suddenly came to the fore earlier this year, as Italy joined China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
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FeaturesDC’s collective voice could be decisive
Australian pension funds could soon become the biggest shareholders in their country’s equity market (see page 5), with researchers at Rainmaker Information forecasting their combined domestic stock holdings to hit 60% by 2033.
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Book ReviewBook review: The Rise of the Working-Class Shareholder
David Webber is well placed to rehearse the legal and political arguments around public pension funds’ power to change companies
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FeaturesInterview: Sharon Bowles – A forensic assessment
The former chair of the European Parliament’s Economic Affairs Committee talks to Stephen Bouvier
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FeaturesInterview: Haukur Hafsteinsson, LSR
The government pensions veteran bids farewell to LSR, Iceland’s largest pension, after 34 years as its chief executive
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Opinion PiecesLetter from the US: Practitioners defend ESG from executive threat
The proxy season was different in the US this time around. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) resolutions – as well as the use of those criteria for investing – are under scrutiny by the Trump administration and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
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AnalysisAnalysis: Experts warn of bank stress test impact on covered bonds
ECB’s banking sector stress tests have caused concern among covered bond analysts over the potential impact on the attractiveness of the asset class
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FeaturesCultivating judgement
One of the big challenges we face, both in the financial world and in everyday life, is how to overcome our biases
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FeaturesPension funds act as Nordic drama engulfs Swedbank
Sweden’s largest pension funds have been thrust into leading roles in a money-laundering scandal over the past few weeks, as Swedbank was raided by fraud investigators and forced to fire its CEO.
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Features
UK pools slam ‘simplistic’ guidance
UK local authority funds have accused the government of imposing higher costs through changes in its stance towards asset pooling.
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Features
Handelsblatt Conference: De-risking comes to the fore as past costs loom large
German pension schemes reveal ambitious overhauls to reduce sponsor burdens; Generali moves to reassure over sale of insurance business to Viridium
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FeaturesMadan Pillutla: Debiasing needs more attention
Madan Pillutla, professor of organisational behaviour at the London Business School, outlines the reasons why biases are so hard to overcome
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FeaturesAccounting Matters: Splitting the difference
If ever proof were needed that the dividing line between defined benefit (DB) and defined contributions (DC) pension promises is coming under pressure, it was a discussion at the IFRS Interpretations Committee (IFRS IC) on 6 March.
