Latest from IPE Magazine – Page 357

  • IP Asia

    The future of the renminbi

    IP Asia January 2012

    Routes other than ‘dim sum’ bonds might make more sense for exposure to China’s currency over the short term, suggests Hayden Briscoe.

  • IP Asia

    Global equities: maintain concentration

    IP Asia January 2012

    Perhaps surprisingly, Joseph Mariathasan finds that well-managed active risk has paid off for global equity funds over recent years.

  • IP Asia

    Asian hedge funds in 2011 – Review and outlook

    IP Asia January 2012

    In 2011, hedge funds won the contest of “least ugly” versus bonds and equities, and they have disappointed a little throughout the year. Albourne Asia’s managing director Richard Johnston looks at opportunities in the industry in the new year.

  • IP Asia

    Australia: Pace of consolidation to ease

    IP Asia January 2012

    Brendan Swift examines the future trends in Australia’s A$1.28 trillion ($1.26 trillion) pension industry.

  • IP Asia

    Problems in store for Indian banks in 2012

    IP Asia January 2012

    Softness in Indian bank bonds is slowly shifting from a story of oversupply to more fundamental concerns.

  • IP Asia

    India’s NPS: Good times and bad

    IP Asia January 2012

    Joseph Mariathasan examines the challenges in the India’s pensions system and the steps taken to achieve its aim.

  • IP Asia

    India remains a tough market for investors

    IP Asia January 2012

    We had quite a few problems with corruption and permits haven’t been given. Investment has come to a bit of a standstill but we know they desperately need to create more infrastructure.

  • Features

    Where East meets West

    January 2012 (Magazine)

    The Iron Curtain came down more than two decades ago. With the eastern expansion of the European Union that followed, especially in this time of rapid globalisation, one might have thought that all things would be equal by now. But they are far from it.

  • Features

    Another fine mess

    January 2012 (Magazine)

    Ollie: “Buying that bridge was no mistake. That’s going to be worth a lot of money to us someday.” – Way Out West (1937).

  • Features

    At odds

    January 2012 (Magazine)

    Last month I argued that the European Commission should go back to first principles with its proposed reform to the IORP Directive and focus on cross-border DC activity. Since then, conversations and debates at a number of conferences have reinforced that view.

  • Features

    From our perspective: Part of the solution

    January 2012 (Magazine)

    One of the more depressing side effects of the financial crisis has been the spectacle of government attacks on funded pensions. But the practice is not new. Back in autumn 2003, the Belgian government nationalised €3.6bn in first pillar pension assets held by the former state telecoms monopoly Belgacom. As finance minister, Gordon Brown launched a bold attack on UK pensions in 1997 when he announced the abolition of dividend tax relief for pension funds.

  • Features

    Alternative to euro-zone survival far worse

    January 2012 (Magazine)

    The euro-zone will survive, if only because the alternative to the current market turbulence would be worse, said former Swedish prime minister Göran Persson.

  • Features

    Funds must apply holistic approach to equity risk

    January 2012 (Magazine)

    Pension funds assessing their ability to take on equity risk would do well to adopt a “holistic” approach that considers not only the more “technical” aspects of risk associated with financial products, but also the ability of schemes’ sponsors to cover that risk.

  • Features

    ‘Democracy will be threatened if you lose grip on public finances’

    January 2012 (Magazine)

    Former Swedish prime minister Göran Persson recalled the night in 1997 when the EU’s Stability and Growth pact was negotiated. His cabinet had already made the decision that Sweden would not join. “We had decided we were not mature enough to join this club, so we would wait. But even then, we were in much better shape than many of those who took it as a given that they should join the euro-zone.”

  • Features

    Infrastructure for all – but not with state aid

    January 2012 (Magazine)

    The UK chancellor, George Osborne, last year announced plans to attract £20bn (€23bn) of pension fund assets into infrastructure projects, backed by the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) and the Pension Protection Fund (PPF).

  • Features

    Solvency II again raises hackles in Frankfurt

    January 2012 (Magazine)

    The sixth European Federation for Retirement Provision (EFRP) conference as well as the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) conference were held in Frankfurt at the end of November and were a one-off for at least two reasons.

  • Features

    Long-Term Matters: It’s the water, stupid

    January 2012 (Magazine)

    I predict that water will become the single most important physical commodity-based asset class, dwarfing oil, copper, agricultural commodities and precious metals.

  • Features

    Updating the update

    January 2012 (Magazine)

    Our glorious G20 leaders have charged the IASB with two tasks in relation to financial instruments accounting: reduce the complexity of accounting standards for financial instruments; and strengthen accounting recognition of loan-loss provisions by incorporating a broader range of credit information.

  • Features

    Volatility – friend or foe?

    January 2012 (Magazine)

    Amin Rajan asks what if we are in a prolonged era of fatter tails and frequent bubbles?

  • Opinion Pieces

    Liz Murrall & Jonathan Lipkin, Investment Management Association

    January 2012 (Magazine)

    Much has been written about investment managers churning stocks, to the detriment of client returns, investee companies and potentially the overall stability of the economy.