All IPE articles in September 2010 (Magazine) – Page 3

  • Special Report

    Garbage in, garbage out

    September 2010 (Magazine)

    Like all investment data and ratings, environmental, social and governance indicators need to be scrubbed clean and carefully analysed, writes Adam Seitchik

  • Emerging Market Debt: A reconfiguring world
    Asset Class Reports

    Emerging market debt – A reconfiguring world

    September 2010 (Magazine)

    High credit spreads and strong currency performance are just two reasons why emerging debt markets are set to eclipse the performance of G7 countries in the coming year, writes Peter Marber

  • Opinion Pieces

    The Commission hides its teeth

    September 2010 (Magazine)

    The authors of the European Commission’s policy paper, ‘Towards Adequate, Sustainable and Safe European Pension Systems’, are clearly aware that solving Europe’s pension challenge is a formidable task. Not only are there the oft-cited demographic problems and injustices to workers who move across national boundaries, but there is also the fragmented nature of member states’ legislative frameworks to consider.

  • Features

    Pensions Green Paper has industry reaching for fine-tooth comb

    September 2010 (Magazine)

    The European Commission takes pains to emphasise what its latest Green Paper on pensions does not do. The paper, for instance, does not make any specific proposals. Nor does it recommend increasing the age at which people can draw a pension. Nor does it try to force people to take out a private pension. The only thing the Commission wants the Green Paper to do, it says, is start a debate about “whether and how” the European pensions framework should be developed.

  • Features

    Thumbs up for central control

    September 2010 (Magazine)

    This month’s Off The Record poll focused on derivatives, operational risk and custody. Some 61% of respondents felt it was positive that measures in Brussels and the US would force pension funds to clear derivatives using a central counterparty. “Central banks need to be able to control markets in extremis, as we saw two years ago. The only beneficiaries of off-exchange derivatives are investment banks. End users of derivatives should be happy to see them go to central clearers,” said a UK fund. Another UK fund added: “Being transparent will be important”.

  • Features

    Beta max

    September 2010 (Magazine)

    Back from holiday and the markets are doing little of note. My emails unread total 612. Most seem to be from people offering meetings, which I don’t want. But some are interesting.

  • Asset Class Reports

    Emerging Market Debt: Portfolio focus: Fringe benefits

    September 2010 (Magazine)

    As an asset class, emerging market debt (EMD) is generating a real buzz among asset managers and investors. It may take some time, but pension fund allocations are expected to rise, given the mismatch between current allocations to the emerging markets and their increasing economic importance. Insight Investment head of EMD, Colm McDonagh, says: “Less than 1% of global pension fund assets are in emerging markets; it should be significantly higher. Within 10 years, emerging market countries will have 50% of global GDP.”

  • Features

    The new silver bullet in the age of uncertainty

    September 2010 (Magazine)

    In the second article in a new series, Nick Lyster and Amin Rajan argue that the credit crunch has exploded the myth that asset managers and pension consultants possess rare insights

  • Opinion Pieces

    Getting its Act together

    September 2010 (Magazine)

    US pension funds won two important battles in the debate that led to the approval of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act in July. One is concern over the use of swaps to hedge plan risks, and the other is with stable value funds. The Act is also so complex that institutional investors are still waiting to see how it will affect them. It runs to more than 2,300 pages and its full impact might not be felt for years: according to conservative estimates, regulators have been conducting nearly 100 studies and writing more than 350 new rules implementing the changes.