More comment – Page 8
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Opinion PiecesDisagreements between Germany's coalition partners cloud occupational pensions reform
Pension reforms have taken centre stage in the latest row among the coalition partners in the German government.
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Opinion PiecesWhy Norway's rebuff to oil fund over private equity is all about pay and equality
It would be hard to argue that Norway’s sovereign wealth fund is not diversified, but its range of permitted asset classes is narrower than that of peers.
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Opinion PiecesHow AI is making inroads in America's retirement industry
Artificial intelligence (AI) is starting to gain traction in the retirement industry, even if it is still early days.
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Opinion PiecesAustralian super funds push back on lacklustre energy transition proposals by corporates
Australian and global pension funds orchestrated an unusually vocal tactical campaign against the climate-transition action plan of Woodside Energy, a global oil and gas producer, in the lead-up to its 70th annual general meeting in late April.
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Opinion PiecesWhat happens if we burn all the carbon?
As someone who started his career working for Shell International (albeit four decades ago when fossil-fuel-induced global warming was not an issue that we were aware of), I do not believe that oil companies are inherently evil.
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Opinion PiecesViewpoint: Solving Europe’s capital markets puzzle
The crucial role of capital markets has recently figured on top of several high-level reports on Europe’s economic priorities
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Opinion PiecesBond markets look set to become the new stewardship powerbroking arena
Investors in bond markets are starting to assume a more powerful position than equity investors to influence companies and countries. Innovation is sweeping through bond markets with the introduction of specific ‘use of proceeds’ bonds and sustainability-linked bonds.
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Book ReviewThe importance of board decisions in an uncertain world
In the foreword to this new book, the CIO of CERN Pension Fund, Dr Elena Manola-Bonthond, says that, in her experience, investment alpha is scarce and very often difficult to access. It can be costly and its persistence is sometimes questionable. But there are other types of alpha that are more accessible and governance alpha is definitely one of them.
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Opinion PiecesStriking the right balance on pension funds and fiduciary duty
Pension fund investment principles, strategies and decision-making have all become more complex in the wake of the growth of sustainability factors in general and climate change in particular. This has made the interpretation and practice of trustee ‘fiduciary duties’ more vexed and challenging than ever. A recent review of fiduciary duties in the UK by the Financial Markets Law Committee (FMLC) put it this way: “It is sometimes easier to state the duties than it is to apply them.”
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Opinion PiecesEnrico Letta’s European 401(k) policy is ambitious but necessary
Enrico Letta’s long-awaited review of the EU single market (Much More than a Market), reached inboxes last month. Among a sweeping range of measures, Letta advocates an ambitious system, akin to the 401(k) in the US, with an EU-wide auto-enrolment long-term savings policy as part of a proposed Savings and Investment Union.
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Opinion PiecesDefence is the new ESG question
Earlier this year, the European Commission launched its ambitious European Defence Industrial Strategy (EDIS). The main goals of the strategy are reducing fragmentation within the €70bn European defence industry and lowering weapons imports, thus increasing the EU’s military readiness. The success of the strategy would also contribute to economic growth.
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Opinion PiecesTime is running out for Germany's planned pension reforms
The German government is in the final stretches of an ambitious but tortuous journey to reform the three pillars of the pension system.
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Opinion PiecesUS public pension funds focus on labour practices in private equity
Private equity has become dependent on public pension funds, which represent almost one-third of all investors in the asset class. These schemes invested 13% of their assets – over $620bn (€580bn) in 2022 – up from 3.5% in 2001 and 8.3% in 2011, according to data from public pension research non-profit Equable Institute.
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Opinion PiecesAustralia faces up to the cost of pandemic pension early release
Four years after Australians were allowed to withdraw superannuation savings to deal with the economic shock of the COVID-19 pandemic, they now know emergency measures will cost the nation A$85bn (€51bn) in future pension payments.
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Opinion PiecesSmall island states turn to institutional investors to protect oceans
Small island developing states may have a total population of only around 65 million, but through their exclusive economic zones they control about 30% of oceans and seas, according to the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD).
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Opinion PiecesViewpoint: Trump election agenda items for pension funds to debate
Peter Kraneveld identifies Trump’s election chances as an important political risk for pension funds
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Opinion PiecesViewpoint: What if climate policy wasn’t ‘backsliding’?
Nothing screams policy forward-sliding like a solar sector unleashed, permanently beating scenario expectations
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Opinion PiecesA new era for pension fund liquidity management
With inflation past its peak and central banks signalling monetary easing, investors can look forward to a prolonged period when interest rates will be at normal levels – barring any surprise decline in economic growth or other kinds of shocks.
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Opinion PiecesAn opportunity to reimagine private capital in Europe
Enrico Letta’s long-awaited report on the future of the European Union’s single market is set to spark a major debate among EU leaders. As Europe faces a rapidly evolving strategic landscape, the former Italian prime minister’s findings, due to be published this spring, could help shape thinking on European integration ahead of the upcoming elections in June.
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Opinion PiecesATP at 60: no plans to retire the guaranteed pensions model
Now approaching retirement age itself, Danish statutory pension fund ATP is using its 60th birthday as an opportunity to reinforce the validity of its guarantee-based investment model.
