Latest from IPE Magazine – Page 517
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Features
Dutch base 'superb' for management
The EU pension directive has opened the way for the Netherlands to become a superb operating base for asset management, says Dirk Witteveen, director of pensions regulator De Nederlandsche Bank. “The Netherlands have already a wide experience with the directive’s ‘prudent person’ approach of the investment rules. Pension fund are ...
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Features
Saxony-Anhalt plans to launch pension fund for civ
The eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt plans to set up a pension fund for its civil servants from 2008, saying the move is necessary to relieve long-term pressure on its budget. Saxony-Anhalt employs around 2,600 civil servants who have a right to a future state pension. By 2020, it estimates ...
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Features
Swiss schemes call for rules to be relaxed
Swiss occupational pension funds want investment regulations relaxed, according to a survey by Swisscanto Asset Management. “A large number of the pension institutions are in favour of a relaxation of the investment regulations,” Swisscanto said. The survey was conducted in association with ASIP, the Association of Swiss Pension Funds. It ...
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Features
German investors' gradual awakening
German pension funds are still trailing behind many of their European counterparts in terms of investing in alternatives. “Pension funds still have a very limited exposure to private equity, with an allocation of less than 1% of total pension fund assets,” says Christian Edelmann, senior project manager, Mercer Oliver Wyman ...
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Features
Using overlay strategies
In May, The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead tendered a E599m currency overlay mandate for the £1.3bn (E1.9bn) Berkshire Pension Fund. It is one of a string of pension funds who are looking at diversifying risk through currency overlay. Other recent funds include Strathclyde, which hired Mellon Capital Management, ...
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Features
Managing the custody relationship
Often, pension funds fail to obtain full value from their custodians. Increasingly, custodians are providing value added services and pitching themselves to pension funds. Observers say that pension funds need to understand what services they are getting. “It’s not unusual for many pension funds to go through the whole process ...
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Features
New index re-ignites fundamentals debate
The debate about the merits of so-called fundamental indices will be enlivened by claims that a new computer-driven ‘merit-based’ index – from boutique firm London & Capital – has consistently “trounced” the NASDAQ, S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average. Broadly speaking, fundamental indices only include companies with strong fundamentals ...
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Features
FTSE research chief Beckley departs for Record
FTSE Group’s research and development director Carl Beckley is leaving the index provider after almost eight years to join Record Currency Management. “We are in the process of looking for a replacement both internally and externally and will be making an announcement on any replacement in due course,” a FTSE ...
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Features
S&P and TSX develop gold index
Standard & Poor’s and Toronto Stock Exchange operator TSX have announced plans to create the first real-time global gold index. “Based in Canada, the new index will track key gold mining companies from around the globe,” they said. The new S&P/TSX Global Gold Index will be available by the end ...
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Features
Key to business cycles
The concept of business cycles is relatively modern phenomenon. In the 19th century business cycle were perceived as temporary economic crises. In the 20th century economists began to chart the regularity with which these crises occurred and to regard them as predictable rather than random. Different economic cycles have different ...
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Features
UK pension industry split on national scheme
The UK’s pension industry appears split over the government’s proposed national pensions savings schemes. Investment providers have welcomed the idea but consulting firms have warned of higher costs and unintended consequences. The government White Paper, following up on the Pensions Commission proposals, said it would introduce a new low cost ...
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Special Report
Big European funds back UN investment principles
Some of Europe’s largest pension funds have signed up to the United Nations’ new set of six responsible investment principles. Signatories to the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), launched at the New York Stock Exchange, include national pension funds in Norway, Ireland, France, Sweden as well as names such as ...
