All IPE articles in March 2009 (Magazine) – Page 3

  • Features

    Stay dry in a crisis

    March 2009 (Magazine)

    Nina Röhrbein spoke to Gerhard Neustädter, head of asset management at Bonus Pensionskassen in Vienna, about his fund’s approach to managing assets and risk

  • Convertibles: why now?
    Features

    Convertibles: why now?

    March 2009 (Magazine)

    Convertible bonds as an asset class had one of the worst years in their history in 2008.

  • Features

    How convertible securities are valued

    March 2009 (Magazine)

    Convertibles’ hybrid nature presents valuation challenges and trading opportunities, says Joseph Mariathasan

  • The riot continues
    Features

    The riot continues

    March 2009 (Magazine)

    The conquistador Hernando Cortez once said: “We Spaniards know a sickness of the heart only gold can cure.”

  • Features

    Diary of an Investor: Consultants enter tiger’s lair

    March 2009 (Magazine)

    We had our yearly get-together last week. All the investment directors of Wasserdicht Pension Funds descended on Amsterdam. Yoshi from Tokyo, Hans from Frankfurt, Jim from Boston, Geert from Jo’Burg and Clive from London.

  • Opinion Pieces

    A consultant union

    March 2009 (Magazine)

    A new investment consulting player was born this year, the result of the merger between Mercer and Callan. The combined Mercer-Callan entity employs around 375 people, controls about 20% of the US market and has offices in 14 cities.

  • Death of common sense
    Features

    Death of common sense

    March 2009 (Magazine)

    In his final article on a new report, Amin Rajan concludes that without a sea change in the existing practices, pension funds will continue to stumble from one crisis to another

  • Outperformance claims in doubt
    Special Report

    Outperformance claims in doubt

    March 2009 (Magazine)

    Recent research into the French SRI market finds no evidence of outperformance, says

  • Can’t live with them, can’t live without them
    Features

    Can’t live with them, can’t live without them

    March 2009 (Magazine)

    Pension funds tend to hire investment consultants for reasons such as their specialist knowledge and ability to provide independent advice. But do they hold up to these expectations?

  • Features

    Time to call a specialist?

    March 2009 (Magazine)

    The credit-market dislocation has opened up opportunities well beyond core corporate bonds. Martin Steward asks whether pension funds should get specialists onboard, or just loosen their existing bond mandates

  • Manager Profile:CAAM
    Features

    Manager Profile: CAAM

    March 2009 (Magazine)

    Convertible bonds might be taking a battering from the current crisis but CAAM is banking on its experience in the sector to see it through, finds Lynn Strongin Dodds

  • Brave new world?
    Opinion Pieces

    Brave new world?

    March 2009 (Magazine)

    When liquidity was abundant, serious bottom-up credit analysis was neglected in favour of spurious correlation assumptions. The credit crisis brings us back to a more cautious new world, writes Roger Sadewsky

  • Boost for new formations
    Country Report

    Boost for new formations

    March 2009 (Magazine)

    The financial freeze is certain to speed up the trend towards consolidation in the pensions arena as costs soar and companies seek to hand over pension liabilities, finds Mariska van der Westen

  • Features

    A page or a phone book?

    March 2009 (Magazine)

    In case anyone has forgotten, the objective underpinning the IASB’s bid to overhaul IAS19 is to ensure that the users of financial statements, or analysts, have access to what the board likes to call timely and decision-useful information.

  • Features

    Returns: looking bleak

    March 2009 (Magazine)

    Evidence is now emerging of just how tough a year 2008 was for pension funds. Individual schemes have begun to report their investment results and the division between those who favour equities over bonds and liability-driven investment strategies is becoming all too apparent.

  • The big picture
    Features

    The big picture

    March 2009 (Magazine)

    It would be silly to predict the bottom of a deep recession on the basis of a single month’s volatile manufacturing PMI data

  • Features

    Uprating benefits

    March 2009 (Magazine)

    Recent falls in interest rates have also affected pension funds that enhance members’ benefits through indexing or guarantees. Gail Moss charts how funds in the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland are affected

  • Issues around healthcare
    Special Report

    Issues around healthcare

    March 2009 (Magazine)

    Opinions differ on the reputational issues of companies in sectors like healthcare and mining. Nina Röhrbein asks if investors really need to abstain

  • Investor case study: APG
    Features

    Investor case study: APG

    March 2009 (Magazine)

    The Dutch giant is not about to turn away from convertibles as a way to tap into equity upside while retaining some downside protection in a falling market, says Lynn Strongin Dodds

  • “Any ALM study should consider the effects of Black Swan events”
    Opinion Pieces

    “Any ALM study should consider the effects of Black Swan events”

    March 2009 (Magazine)

    Pension schemes are suffering a double blow at the moment. As well as increased deficits there are also concerns about the strength of the sponsor.