Latest from IPE Magazine – Page 666
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Features
Time to stand on our own legs
Quis custodes custodiet – who guards the guards? This month’s Off the Record looks at the power and influence of credit rating agencies and – in passing – investment analysts. Has their power increased, is increasing and ought to be diminished? The power of rating agencies was illustrated dramatically recently ...
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Features
Directive: failure is not an option
It’s hardly Watergate perhaps, but conspiracy theorists may be intrigued by two high-profile pensions events in Brussels recently. It is of course possible that the two events are entirely unconnected, yet as one pensions official remarked: “The timing was excellent.” For those who believe in coincidence, the first event was ...
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Features
Is Switzerland in crisis?
Switzerland has been teetering on the brink of a so called ‘pensions crisis’ for several months. When the government lowered the minimum guaranteed interest rate paid on occupational pension schemes from 4% to 3.25%, one sensed that all was not well with Switzerland’s second pillar system. With an increasing number ...
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Features
Europe trails in US footsteps
We must all hang together or, most assuredly, we will all hang separately. This is the current message from the Euro-zone equity markets, rattled by fears of a war in Iraq and its consequences for the US economy. The high degree of correlation between the European and US markets means ...
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Features
Surprise move by Bank of England
It has hardly been the most unpredictable first few months for the European bond markets in 2003. Economic situation – gloomy, war in Iraq – probable, ECB rate cuts – likely. An environment, which although has been positive for the European bond market, driving a sharp downward spike in yields, ...
