Robert Melia Watson
FeaturesSweden: Green giant
Aside from concerns about the performance and costs of the AP buffer funds, the government has also outlined an ESG agenda for institutional investors, writes Robert Melia Watson
NewsHedge funds bounce back from troubled year
[15:00 CET 24-03] GLOBAL - Institutional investors considering hedge funds as diversification to declining equity, property or fixed income markets may need to think carefully about doing so as two new reports present conflicting results about the alternative asset class.
NewsPension trustees ‘need skills to cope with recession’
[16:40 CET 23-03] UK - Trustees need to improve their understanding of discount rates, assumptions and their sponsor’s finances to keep their schemes funded during the recession, according to consultants and actuaries group Punter Southall.
NewsPension scheme looks to China
[16:55 CET 13-03] NETHERLAND – A Dutch pension scheme is looking for an asset manager to run a €10m Chinese equity mandate, using IPE-Quest.
NewsTower Hamlets retains Record and Auriel
[16:50 CET 13-03] UK - The London Borough of Tower Hamlets has reappointed Record Currency Management (RCM) and Auriel Capital Management (ACM) to run its £10m (E11m) currency portfolio – which accounts for 3.5% of the scheme's overall portfolio.
NewsHackney moves into currency as BGI disappoints
[15:50 CET 13-03] UK - The London Borough of Hackney has appointed FX Concepts to run a specialist £150m (€162m) active currency programme for its local government pension scheme.
NewsLGIM picks up East Sussex mandate
[16:50 CET 12-03] UK - East Sussex County Council has appointed Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM) to run a specialist £275m (€295m) passive UK equity mandate.
NewsActuaries challenge PPF levy methodology
[15:15 CET 12-03] UK - Actuaries and consultants firm Barnet Waddingham has called on the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) to change its levy calculations to reflect defined benefit schemes paying cash benefits to its members.
NewsAP3 forced to admit shortcomings in risk management
[17:10 CET 11-03] SWEDEN - The third Swedish national pension fund, AP3, has admitted it lacked the capacity to deal with the financial crisis as returns on assets fell sharply last year to create a 18.8% net loss.
NewsNorway opts for equities to combat negative bond returns
[17:00 CET 11-03] NORWAY – The Norway Government Pension Fund – Global has been forced to review its short-term investment strategy following the worst results in the scheme’s history.
Special ReportHow do you get your message across?
In these extra-turbulent times, we wanted to know how keen members were to remain abreast of their pensions and how schemes were adapting, if at all, their communications policies to ensure members understood the risks they are taking. We asked for your views.
FeaturesTemperature gauge
One of the many consequences of Lehman Brothers’ collapse just a few long weeks ago was that it highlighted the various counterparty risks to which pension funds and managers are exposed.
- Special Report
Home or away?
Who should manage your money? Many of our readers have successfully managed their own portfolios for years and remain happy to continue doing so. We sought your opinions on the value of doing it yourself as opposed to outsourcing.
NewsGermany step in protect Hypo’s funds behind the funds (updated)
[16:00 CEST 29-09] GERMANY – A consortium of German banks has stepped in at the eleventh hour to provide Hypo Real Estate, a provider of loans and financing to real estate purchases and funds, with assets to meet its financing obligations.
