More comment – Page 19
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Opinion PiecesNorway needs another pensions overhaul
It’s official – Norway’s state pension system needs another overhaul. The Pension Commission published its hefty report in June arguing for changes to make it socially sustainable – raising age limits, pegging minimum benefits to wage growth and shielding disability pensions from the effects of life expectancy adjustment.
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Opinion PiecesAustralia: Superannuation funds on a consolidation path
Australians are beginning to get used to super funds with names like Australian Retirement Trust, Aware Super and Spirit Super.
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Opinion PiecesUS: A cautious approach on private assets in DC plans
Will 2022 be the year when private equity is finally incorporated in US defined contribution (DC) plan line-ups? Possibly, following the Department of Labor’s (DoL’s) clarification of its position in a letter last December. But it will be a very slow process, according to industry experts.
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Opinion PiecesViewpoint: Where now for the stock/bond correlation?
This key portfolio parameter may be changing due to challenging market conditions
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Opinion PiecesViewpoint: The frequency of infrequent events
Why covenant support remains at the heart of pension member security
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Opinion PiecesViewpoint: Investing in the future through the voluntary carbon market
Net zero transition strategies take time, and some remaining emissions may still be inevitable
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Opinion PiecesPension funds and asset managers: Are you a Yamaha or a Steinway?
In the 1970s, Genichi Kawakami, president of Yamaha Corporation from 1950-77, wanted his pianos to rival those of Steinway.
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Opinion PiecesInvestors should require companies to tie executive pay to ESG targets
Stuart Kirk, global head of responsible investing at HSBC Asset Management, has been suspended for saying that investors need not worry about climate risk. Those among the company’s clients who are concerned with sustainability may be relieved that he has been suspended, but there remain questions about greenwashing at the company and within the whole asset management sector.
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Opinion PiecesDelay looms to Netherlands reform process
The Dutch government has vowed to finalise the country’s hotly debated switch to a pension system with defined-contribution variants by 1 January 2023.
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Opinion PiecesIlliquid assets could bring cost burden
Last month the UK’s Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) closed its consultation on ‘Facilitating investment in illiquid assets’, which sought views on policy proposals and draft regulations designed to improve the accessibility of illiquid assets for defined contribution (DC) pension schemes.
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Opinion PiecesFiduciary managers must do better on ESG transparency
What sets one fiduciary manager apart from another? These days, it is increasingly hard to tell between the leaders. As a fiduciary manager myself, this view may seem counterintuitive but it seems to me that this part of the investment world is getting less distinct in its capabilities, resources and even its messaging.
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Opinion PiecesAustralia: Political risk on the agenda for super funds
Australia’s cash-rich super funds allocate more to international equities than to their domestic counterparts. International equities are the largest single allocation.
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Opinion PiecesUS: Fidelity’s retirement account crypto move raises concerns
Even six months ago it looked like crypto investing was not going to become mainstream any time soon in 401(k) plans – and since then Bitcoin has halved in value. But the market’s sentiment and trend are changing very quickly. So much so that Fidelity Investments has now become the first major retirement-plan provider to allow investors to add a Bitcoin account to their 401(k). The move was announced in late April.
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Opinion PiecesViewpoint: Global custody for pension schemes – are you paying more than your neighbour?
The landscape for custodians has changed significantly
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Opinion PiecesViewpoint: Swap spreads at stress levels
Asset swap (ASW) spreads are currently trading at historically high levels as volatility in rates markets has remained high. We believe there is an opportunity for continental European pension funds to enter into Euribor receiver swaps and sell Bunds in their matching portfolio. Indeed, we expect that the peak in ...
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Opinion PiecesViewpoint: Modelling a longevity shock – A £1bn scheme would need to find £120m
By Howard Kearns, longevity pricing director at Insight Investment
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Opinion PiecesRobust central clearing is critical for millions of Europeans
Derivatives like interest rate swaps are now a central component of risk management best practice. According to a 2018 paper by ISDA and PensionsEurope, the percentage of hedged pension liabilities in Denmark, the Netherlands and the UK ranges from 40-60% of total liabilities.
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Opinion PiecesShareholder action to curb corporate lobbying is urgent
Corporate lobbying has always existed, but only in recent times have investors concerned with sustainability started to monitor the impact of the lobbying activities of their investee companies.
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Opinion PiecesSeesawing rates pivot European pension funding ratios
Many pension funds throughout Europe have had insufficient funding ratios for many years in part due to falling interest rates, even though pension funds’ investment choices and contribution levels also play a role.
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Opinion PiecesGuest viewpoint: How can DC schemes build a more sustainable future?
The UK government’s Build Back Better growth plan paves the way for significant investment in infrastructure, which could be attractive for defined contribution schemes. How might they take advantage of opportunities to improve outcomes for savers?
