AP4 resets long-term scenarios amid US trade worries
Swedish pensions buffer fund CEO sees political environment remaining problematic for years
Fondo Gomma Plastica to create equity mandate investing in Italy
The scheme is working on the equity mandate with other pension funds joining as part of a consortium
Varma assets jump to historic high of €60.9bn with 3.6% Q1 returns
Plus: Ilmarinen reports a 3.2% Q1 return, while Keva posts 3.7%
ISSB to tackle biodiversity reporting, human capital disclosures
Chair Emmanuel Faber says the board’s focus remains on the informational needs of investors and the allocation of capital
UK regulator committed to supporting further innovation in DB market
TPR is due to publish its approach to profit release mechanism in superfunds and new DB alternative arrangements guidance this year.
Italian schemes explore investment opportunities with European Investment Fund
Pension funds Arco, Concreto, Fondo Pensione Byblos and Fon.Te plan to boost investments in Europe
Finland’s Elo cites hedge funds, listed equities as Q1 drivers
Pensions insurer makes 6.5% return on hedge funds as weighting increases in portfolio
German Pensionskassen association slams first pillar equity fund plan
VFPK is ‘extremely skeptical’ about the role assigned to the state as an equity investor through the fund
Nature Action 100 unveils benchmark indicators for assessing corporates
Companies will be assessed on the quality of their disclosures and actions
IASB to consult on accounting for climate-commitments
The board agreed to issue the proposed guidance, which is subject to drafting changes, on a 120-day comment period
People moves: Skandia appoints new head of asset management
Plus: MAPFRE names group CIO; Roelie van Wijk joins ABP’s board of directors
Cassa Forense boosts total assets to €17.63bn
The pension fund for lawyers in Italy tightened the grip on costs as the number of members decreased by 1.3% year-on-year in 2023
Regulator calls for UK DB schemes to reassess long-term objectives
TPR’s Louise Davey says ‘trustees should look to redirect some of their funding level improvements towards a funding and investment strategy that is aligned with their plans’
Ethos expects UBS to tighten lending policy for high emission sectors
The foundation is asking UBS to phase out from high emission sectors such as thermal coal
PIC launches streamlined solution for small pension schemes
The service will be available to schemes with assets of less than £100m looking to complete a buyout
Enpam shifts to macro portfolio strategies in new LDI approach
Italy’s largest pension scheme is splitting its assets into two macro portfolios
MN to support Follow This resolution at Shell AGM
MN’s main explanation for its voting intention is that Shell’s 20-30% liquefied natural gas growth doesn’t align with the Paris Climate Agreement
Denmark must make forestry more appealing for investors, says IPD
Pensions lobby responds to official climate report on Denmark’s future land use, which concludes afforestation needed
Church Commissioners appoints ‘planet lead’
Laura Moss-Bromage will design and lead the Church Commissioners’ portfolio-wide biodiversity strategy
BaFin deems costs reporting for occupational schemes ‘unnecessary’
German regulator’s view clashes with EIOPA’s suggestion to annually report on all costs and charges
Mandate nature transition plans, finance sector urges governments
Although climate transition plans must incorporate nature, there is a specific need for dedicated nature transition plans
ACCESS pool seeks two private equity allocators
The aggregate size of annual commitments to both private equity allocators will be on average around £500m or more each year
ESG employees disillusioned as asset managers lose enthusiasm, says headhunter
Senior figures are looking for new sustainability jobs as ‘glitzy marketing spiel’ falls short of reality
Nest Sammelstiftung issues CHF200m private equity tender
Interested applicants have until 10 May to apply
Investors want more clarity on decarbonisation plans for UK transport industry
UK government risks creating an investment hiatus through its inconsistent and opaque approach to public-private engagements
Sampension, KLP says Shell conceded over lobbying after its efforts
Danish, Norwegian pension funds linked up with ACCR to file shareholder proposal for transparency over oil giant’s EM climate and energy lobbying
Italian schemes bolster ESG standards in private equity allocations
Research shows that 57% of Italian institutional investors directly buy private equity products in line with ESG criteria
Pension funds put Paris Agreement alignment ask on Equinor AGM ballot
Norwegian oil company is saying shareholders should vote against the resolution
Time for SBTi to stand aside, says Allianz SI head amid offsets fallout
Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) caused an uproar earlier this month with an announcement about allowing companies to use ‘environmental attribute certificates’ to abate certain Scope 3 emissions
Germany’s liberal party plan to scrap early retirement rule sparks row with democrats
Social democratic party rejects any proposal to increase retirement age
New head for Austria’s pension advisory board after three-year vacancy
Christine Mayrhuber took over the position this month from its former head Walter Pöltner
Danish watchdog raps two PKA pension funds over private equity
Pension funds’ boards need to be more specific about private equity intentions, FSA tells PKA-run funds
Dutch ‘early birds’ postpone DC transition
Only 10 pension funds are now still scheduled to make the transition to a new DC arrangement by 1 January 2025
Cassa Forense seeks asset managers for investment vehicles worth €4bn
The lawyers scheme is creating the two vehicles to streamline investments and administration of its assets
PLSA calls for superfund regime before establishing public sector consolidator
Association says more time is needed to determine whether public sector consolidator is needed
PPF-run pensions consolidator could unlock £10bn in UK investment
The lifeboat scheme estimates that pension funds with assets totalling £130bn could be interested in a transfer
Rising equity markets spike Dutch funding ratios
ABP and PFZW suffered losses on their government bond portfolios, however, as Dutch and German yields rose
Swiss Fintech Innovations calls for rules to set up pension dashboard
Switzerland currently lacks necessary infrastructure that would make people share personal pension data securely with third-party providers
Private financial sector calls for treaty to end plastic pollution
Treaty should include harmonised targets across plastics value chain and ensure that companies assess and disclose plastic-related risks and opportunities
NBIM misses benchmark in Q1 on drag from real estate
Tangen boasts biggest-ever quarterly gain in kroner for the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund
EU single market report drafts road map for Savings and Investments Union
Report written by former Italian prime minister Enrico Letta recommends changes to unlock €33trn of private savings
Pension funds press TotalEnergies to improve governance
AGM resolution challenges Patrick Pouyanné, who holds both positions of CEO and chair of board of directors
Alecta, APK back $436m Amundi-IFC impact-oriented EM bond fund
Public-private partnership aims to encourage issuance of green, social and sustainability-linked bonds in emerging markets
Asset owners launch pilot for sovereign climate engagement
NZAOA also expands work on private markets in new target-setting rules
People moves: PGGM appoints Lars Dijkstra as interim CIO
Plus: UK’s Smart Pensions names business development director; Switzerland’s Publica picks head of pension provision
FTSE350 DB schemes do not invest in line with Mansion House agenda
Mercer analysis of FTSE350 pension funds shows an aggregate surplus of £66bn at the end of March 2024
Italian pension funds face competition on private assets investments
Current rules and lack of political support can hinder pension funds’ plans to increase private markets commitments
Shell calls on investors to reject climate resolution from European pension funds
Follow This calls on responsible investors to ‘side with their peers’ instead of the board of Shell
Huge amount of work left for schemes ahead of pension dashboards launch
LCP’s survey found that only 39% of its webinar attendees had prepared pensions dashboard ‘project plan’
European financial market authorities set priorities for macro-prudential approach
Austrian FMA, Italian CONSOB, Spanish CNMV and French AMF have identified five key priorities