PORTUGAL – Portuguese pension fund returns mirrored the negative trend in financial markets for the third quarter of 2001 by registering a median return of –3.6%, according to figures produced by consultant Watson Wyatt.

The inter-quartile range of fund performance came out between –2.2% and –5.4%.

The Watson Wyatt SEMP survey covers 172 pension funds in the Portuguese market – including segregated funds, pooled funds and third pillar savings plans.
These assets cover some 90% of the country’s total pensions market.

According to the survey, as at the end of September this year, Portuguese pension plans were investing as follows:

Euro public debt fixed rate 24.7%
Euro bonds 28.2%
Portuguese Equities 9.1%
Euro equities 14.6%
Direct property 4.9%
Property funds 2.4%
Cash/money market 8.7%
International bonds 2.3%
International equities 6.8%