November 2019

France’s December strikes: ‘Expect major disruption that could last until New Year’

Major disruption that could last until the New Year - that's the view of one French political analyst on what will happen once 'unlimited' strikes begin in France on December 5th. The French government and unions are squaring up for a battle as mass strike action is declared over plans to reform the French pension system. Read also Pension reform in France ‘a response to gilets jaunes’ The first declared strike day is December 5th, but many unions say they...

Will Negative Rates Finally Kill Pensions?

Economists once thought that negative interest rates were impossible. Not only are they possible, but they may hasten the end of a dying business practice. Read also Negative Rates Can Do a Lot More Damage Yet: Nordic Warning I have written in this space before about the repercussions of other countries issuing bonds with negative yields. The past decade has conclusively proved that negative interest rates are not only possible but likely to remain part of the international...

10 Top Stock Picks of America’s Largest Pension Funds

One of the simplest things that everyday investors can do to improve their performance over the long haul is to study the best practices and investments of the world's top investors. And while that typically invokes names such as Warren Buffett and Carl Icahn, don't forget the money managers overseeing billions of dollars at mammoth pension funds. Understanding the secrets of large-scale investors can put you miles ahead of those people who simply wing it without first coming up with...

NEPAL: Government pension scrapping plan

A plan by the Nepali Government to propose legislation depriving retired Public Servants of their pensions if they criticise the Government has caused a storm in the country’s Parliament. Minister of Federal Affairs and General Administration, Lalbabu Pandit told a meeting of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee (SAGCC) that the Government was in favour of the measure. “We will deprive retired Civil Servants of their pensions if they are convicted of any criminal offence or crime against...

Chile. Manejo de pensiones

Este domingo la ministra del Trabajo, María José Zaldívar, fue entrevistada en el programa Mesa Central de Canal 13, donde se refirió a la Reforma General de Pensiones que propondrá el oficialismo y que no tiene muy contenta a la oposición, como le comentó la periodista del espacio a la representante del Ejecutivo. “Hay que ser responsables”, dijo Zaldívar. “Este es el mayor incremento en el sistema de pensiones desde su creación (…) son 300.000 personas las que van...

Ideas para proteger las carteras de la desaceleración económica global

El mundo está en un claro proceso de ralentización, que todavía no se sabe si desembocará en recesión. Conviene prepararse por lo que pueda pasar. Gestores, analistas y directores de inversiones debaten sobre la mejor forma de proteger las carteras en este entorno en un desayuno organizado por Funds People y patrocinado por DNB Asset Management. Mikko Ripatti, Senior Client Portfolio Manager para España y Portugal de DNB AM, explica que el fondo de tecnología de la gestora tiene...

Abusos en el sistema previsional chileno

Despejado el tema constitucional , corresponde ahora que nos dediquemos de lleno a combatir los abusos que no requieren de una nueva constitución para ser extirpados. En particular —y dado que, según Sebastián Piñera, las pensiones son el nuevo acuerdo que se requiere—, los que se perpetran contra todos los afiliados a las AFP, a vista y paciencia de quienes podrían hacer algo para combatirlos, en el sistema previsional vigente. En este artículo me referiré a los abusos que...

Negative Rates Can Do a Lot More Damage Yet: Nordic Warning

After half a decade of negative interest rates, one of the biggest Nordic pension funds is wondering whether this is just the beginning. The head of investments at Finland’s Ilmarinen Mutual Pension Insurance Co. says his industry is “just starting to see what kind of new challenges [negative rates] will cause.” That means “we are just taking the first steps” in portfolio adjustments, Mikko Mursula said in an interview in Helsinki. He says reality hit after the summer, when...

US. States embrace nudge theory to promote retirement savings

A new government program that takes money out of people’s paycheck is gaining interest in state legislatures across the country — in part because it is wildly popular with voters. Oregon, Illinois and California have launched initiatives to create retirement savings accounts for residents whose employers do not offer company-sponsored programs. In those states, tens of thousands of workers have saved more than $40 million for their own retirements. The programs automatically divert 5 percent...

UK. University staff strike over pensions and pay

Students across the UK face disruption as lecturers and support staff in 60 universities start an eight-day strike. Members of the University and Colleges Union (UCU) are taking action in two separate disputes, one on pensions and one on pay and conditions. The strikes will affect almost half of all UK universities. The universities say strikes are not the way forward and promise to do all they can to minimise the impact of industrial action on students. In addition...