February 2017

21Feb

Companies could offer less generous pensions under government proposals

The government is proposing to allow businesses to remove the link between retirees’ pensions and the retail price index (RPI), in a move that could alleviate the pressure on the UK’s drastically underfunded defined benefit (DB) pensions regime. The plans – contained in a new green paper published by the Department for Work and Pensions – are likely to prove controversial, with one estimate claiming they could cost the average employee £20,000 over the course of their retirement. The move could...

February 21, 2017
News
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21Feb

Government consults on the sustainability of private sector defined benefit pensions

The green paper, Security and sustainability in defined benefit pension schemes, poses consultation questions around four key areas: employer contributions and affordability; member protection; consolidation of DB schemes; funding and investment. It will also consider strengthening the powers of The Pensions Regulator (TPR), and how to strike the right balance between the needs of pension scheme members, sponsoring employers, and the Pension Protection Fund (PPF). The consultation seeks views on whether there is a case for making special arrangements for...

February 21, 2017
News
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21Feb

Moody’s: German regional governments’ pension reserves keep costs at sustainable level

German regional governments' pension credit risk is moderate due to their ability and demonstrated willingness to ensure sustainability, Moody's Public Sector Europe (MPSE) said in a report published today. Furthermore, the decision to build reserves to mitigate the expected rise in pension costs will keep annual payments at a sustainable level. The report, "German Regional Governments -- Small Pots, Big Impact - Pension Reserve Funds To Alleviate Budgetary Pressure", is available on www.moodys.com. Moody's subscribers can access the report using...

February 21, 2017
News
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21Feb

El fondo de pensiones de Canadá CPPIB, mayor inversor internacional en ‘private equity’

Si bien el entorno de bajos tipos de interés ha hecho que el capital riesgo tenga mayor tirón entre los inversores y que se estén incrementando las distribuciones a este tipo de activos, no todos los aportantes de recursos apuestan con igual intensidad por esta área y sigue habiendo categorías. ¿Quiénes son los financiadores del private equity más relevantes? Fondos de pensiones y proveedores norteamericanos abundan en el top 100. De hecho, el mayor inversor internacional reúne esas dos condiciones....

February 21, 2017
Noticias
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21Feb

“Where Are Our Pensions?” Ask Citizens

A number of pensioners and citizens have taken the National Unity Government (NUG) to task for failing to abide by its commitments to them. This was after President Ashraf Ghani and CEO Abdullah Abdullah had earlier pledged to improve the quality of public services in government institutions. On Sunday pensioners and other citizens said things have become worse in the government institutions during the past two and half years since NUG leaders took the charge. They also said that public services in...

February 21, 2017
News
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21Feb

China stocks rebound on hopes of speedy pension fund investment; HK also up

China shares rebounded on Monday, led by wine makers and banks, after media reports said pension funds may begin flowing into the country's stock markets as early as this week. The bullish sentiment spread to Hong Kong, where the market also advanced but by a more modest margin. China's CSI300 index rose 1.1 percent to 3,457.94 points by the end of the morning session, while the Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.8 percent to 3,227.33, recouping losses on Friday. Blue chips were on...

February 21, 2017
News
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21Feb

Pension funds of seven Chinese regions entrusted for investment

Seven Chinese provincial-level regions, including Beijing and Shanghai, have started entrusting their pension funds to the National Council for Social Security Fund (NCSSF) for investment. A total of 360 billion yuan (52.33 billion U.S. dollars) is being transferred from scattered bank accounts operated by local authorities to the NCSSF for centralized asset management, the Economic Information Daily reported on Tuesday. The move is the latest effort by China to improve returns of its vast locally managed pension funds, which have traditionally...

February 21, 2017
News
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18Feb

Brexit-bashing Lords receive £500k in EU pensions a year and aren’t allowed to criticise Brussels… but won’t say so in Brexit debate

BREXIT-bashing peers are pocketing generous EU pensions which depend on them flying the flag for their Brussels paymasters. But they will not be required to declare their gold-plated income if they speak in this week’s crucial debate on Britain’s withdrawal. The EU forks out over £500,000 a year in pensions to 30 former MEPs and officials in the Lords. They include seven ex-European Commissioners who swore an oath of loyalty to Brussels that means they risk losing their pension if they attack...

February 18, 2017
News
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17Feb

Reforming Pensions in Central Europe: Path Dependence and Path Departure in the Pension Systems of former Czechoslovakia

By Ivan Lesay Welfare states in general and pension systems specifically have been recently facing many economic, ideological, political and other challenges all around the world. However, welfare state retrenchment and pension reforms are most likely not to look the same in the post-Communist Europe as in other parts of the world. Almost a half century in the Soviet bloc prepared different political, economic, and institutional legacies for potential welfare state restructuring in Central-East Europe after the fall of Communism....

February 17, 2017
Books
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