All IPE articles in September 2009 (Online) – Page 2

News
Norway-Global excludes Israeli defence firm

2009-09-03T15:55:00Z

[16:55 CESt 03-09] NORWAY – The Government Pension Fund – Global has divested a NOK35.8m (€4.1m) holding in the Israeli company Elbit systems following a recommendation by the Council of Ethics over "violations of international humanitarian law".
News
Dutch cover ratios return to 107% - Hewitt

2009-09-04T14:00:00Z

[15:00 CEST 04-09] NETHERLANDS - The cover ratio of the average Dutch pension fund rose to 107% by the end of August, after reaching an absolute low of 90% in early March, consultancy firm Hewitt Associates has claimed.
News
Avon tweaks bond strategy

2009-09-04T14:15:00Z

[15:15 CEST 04-09] UK – Avon Pension Fund has decided to increase its allocation to corporate bonds through a reduction in its investments in gilts.
News
Hammersmith and Whitbread reveal strategic decisions

2009-09-04T14:30:00Z

[15:30 CEST 04-09] UK – The London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham has decided against adopting a currency hedge strategy for its £438.5m (€503.4m) pension fund, but will keep the option under review.
News
Luzern fund recovery gets go ahead

2009-09-04T14:45:00Z

[15:45 CEST 04-09] SWITZERLAND – The city of Luzern has agreed to a recovery plan for the CHF1bn (€660m) fund which will see CHF10m flow into the fund immediately.
News
Swiss analysts dismiss pension funds’ stabilising role

2009-09-04T15:00:00Z

[16:00 CEST 04-09] GERMANY/SWITZERLAND – Swiss financial analysts disagree with their German counterparts about the stabilising role of pension funds in turbulent markets, a survey commissioned by Allianz has found.
News
Collaboration improves pension benefits - report

2009-09-04T15:50:00Z

[16:50 CEST 04-09] GLOBAL – Pension fund boards may be able to deliver improved returns and lower costs if they collaborate with other, larger, parties to provide enhance benefits over time, and if they apply governance structures with higher expertise, claims a report examining pensions and healthcare regimes across the ...
News
Ireland proposes reform of pension tax relief

2009-09-07T16:15:00Z

[17:15 CEST 07-09] IRELAND – The Commission on Taxation has recommended the existing arrangement for tax relief on pension contributions should be changed to a system of matching contributions.
News
Waltham Forest appoints HSBC for investment advice

2009-09-07T16:20:00Z

[17:20 CEST 07-09] UK - The London Borough of Waltham Forest has awarded a £150,000 (€171,585) contract to HSBC Actuaries & Consultants for investment consultancy services to its pension fund. HSBC were chosen from five interested parties who made offers.
News
Hampshire targets UK property in next 12 months

2009-09-07T16:30:00Z

[17:30 CEST 07-09] UK – Hampshire County Council is looking to almost double its pension fund's exposure to UK commercial property over the next year to meet the 8% target allocation agreed before the market downturn.
News
Irish public sector review to feed into pension policy

2009-09-07T16:45:00Z

[17:45 CEST 07-09] IRELAND – A review of public service pensions conducted by the Comptroller and Auditor General, expected to be released by the government shortly, will feed into a range of "possible initiatives" relating to public sector pensions.
News
Swiss funds need board member training

2009-09-07T16:50:00Z

[17:50 CEST 07-09] SWITZERLAND – While close to all Swiss pension funds are complying with the law and have both worker and employer representatives on the board, the level of knowledge differs greatly, according to a study commissioned by the government and published this summer.
News
BT refuses to be drawn on partial buy-out rumours

2009-09-07T16:55:00Z

[17:55 CEST 07-09] UK - Both BT and Hermes, investment managers of the BT Pension Scheme, have refused to comment on press speculation that BT is considering a partial buyout of the scheme.
News
UK DB deficit increases to £173bn

2009-09-08T15:15:00Z

[16:15 CEST 08-09] UK - The aggregate deficit of almost 7,400 DB funds worsened by £15.1bn (€17.3bn) over the month of August to reach £173.2bn by the month-end, according to the Pension Protection Fund (PPF).
News
Hillingdon seeks global infrastructure manager

2009-09-08T16:10:00Z

[17:10 CEST 08-09] UK - The London Borough of Hillingdon Pension Fund has launched a tender for a manager to run a global infrastructure mandate.
News
Pensions Board prosecutes firm over funding certificate

2009-09-08T16:15:00Z

[17:15 CEST 08-09] IRELAND - The Pensions Board has successfully prosecuted an engineering company for failing to submit an actuarial funding certificate for its pension fund within the required time frame.
News
AIFM directive would restrict global investments - IMA

2009-09-08T16:45:00Z

[17:45 CEST 08-09] EUROPE – The UK's IMA has sharpened the debate on the EU's Alternative Investment Fund Managers (AIFM) draft directive and has called for institutional investors to participate in lobbying activity.
News
Estonian LHV fund shows best results

2009-09-08T16:45:00Z

ESTONIA – Recovering equity markets have boosted Estonian pension plans but the return rates differed greatly among the six providers in the mandatory market.
News
UK DB schemes target 83% buyout funding level

2009-09-09T15:45:00Z

[16:45 CEST 09-09] UK – The average target funding level for defined benefit (DB) schemes has increased from 69% to 83% of funds required for a buyout, according to latest research from Mercer.
News
Wednesday people roundup

2009-09-09T15:50:00Z

[16:50 CEST 09-09] GLOBAL – Stichting Pensioenfonds Holland Casino, Commerz Real, Aon Pension Solution, Personal Accounts Delivery Authority, Northern Trust, Norges Bank Investment Management, AXA Real Estate Investment Managers, HSBC Global Asset Management, SEI, Future Capital Partners