October 2025

Ghana ban on foreign investments for pension funds is counterproductive, funds say

Ghana's ban on its pension funds from offshore investments is curtailing their ability to hedge risks, executives said, as authorities seek to jumpstart the domestic bond market in the wake of its sovereign debt restructuring. The government in Accra blocked funds from putting workers' cash into offshore investments last year after concluding a restructuring of its local and foreign debts which decimated its local debt market - once a destination for major international asset managers like Franklin Templeton. The ban was designed to reduce pressure on...

US. How Government Shutdown affects benefits & retirement

With a possible government shutdown looming, federal employees and retirees are asking questions of how it affects their pay, leave and annuity payments. Below are a some frequently asked questions from the Office of Personnel Management’s most recent Guidance for Shutdown Furloughs. Federal Benefits 1. What happens if agency employees responsible for processing Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) or Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) transactions are furloughed? A. Agencies will continue to process FEHB and FEGLI transactions during a lapse in appropriations....

Pension funds should invest in venture capital for climate benefits, argues report

Large European pension funds could support the development of new sustainable and digital products by investing in venture capital, argues a report by industry networks Venture Connections, European Women in VC and Pensions for Purpose. Pension funds could “channel billions into climate tech” and are “uniquely positioned to match the long timelines of the energy transition”, Pensions for Purpose chair and founder Karen Shackleton tells Sustainable Views. If European pension funds allocated 5 per cent of existing private equity investments to...

Calls to reform Australia’s pension age as labourers consider early retirement due to injury

In Australia, the pension age was lifted from 65 to 67 in 2023. For some manual workers, it's a physical struggle to continue working until 67. "For some, 67 is an achievable and even desirable pension age," said Professor Gary Martin, workplace specialist at the Australian Institute of Management. "For others, the road there is far more demanding." Carpenter and labourer Paul Quealy has some advice for young tradies. A man in a blue short-sleeved shirt, visor and tinted glasses with a dark patch...

September 2025

México. Afores alcanzan plusvalías récord de 752 mil mdp en 2025, reporta Consar

Las Administradoras de Fondos para el Retiro (Afores) han marcado un hito histórico al registrar plusvalías acumuladas de 752,072 millones de pesos entre enero y agosto de 2025. Este logro representa su cuarto mes consecutivo de rendimientos positivos, consolidando un periodo de crecimiento sin precedentes para el sistema de ahorro para el retiro en México. La magnitud de estas ganancias es particularmente notable, ya que el monto acumulado en solo ocho meses supera en un 35% el total reportado durante todo el año 2024, cuando las Afores...

Chile. Primer beneficio de la reforma previsional: alza de la PGU llegó a 391 mil adultos mayores en septiembre

Desde este mes hay miles de adultos mayores que empezaron a ver los beneficios concretos de la reforma de pensiones que aprobó el Congreso a inicios de este año. Esto, porque entre el 2 y el 16 de septiembre se pagó el incremento de la Pensión Garantizada Universal (PGU) desde los actuales $224 mil, a $250 mil, para las personas que tengan 82 años o más. Según cifras del Ministerio del Trabajo, este aumento benefició a 390.841 personas que tienen 82...

España. El plan del Gobierno para que los jubilados vuelvan a trabajar solo cubrirá un 2% de la factura mensual de las pensiones

El Ministerio de Seguridad Social trabaja en la reforma de la jubilación flexible. El objetivo es incentivar la vuelta al trabajo una vez efectuado el retiro. Todo ello, para paliar la llegada de la generación del 'baby boom' sobre las arcas del Departamento. Esta, no obstante, es una opción por la que actualmente optan muy pocos y, como consecuencia, el impacto estimado de la medida es limitado. Según la memoria económica que acompaña al proyecto de real decreto (que salió...

UK. Gen Z need £3m plus for comfortable retirement

Young people typically now in their 20s, known as Generation Z, are likely to need at least £3 million to retire comfortably due to the erosive impact of inflation, according to new analysis by Rathbones Group, one of the UK’s leading wealth management firms. The calculations, based on the amount needed for a ‘comfortable’ retirement as defined by the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA), show that a 25-year-old today would need a pension pot of £3.1 million to retire at age...

China’s local pension fund reaps over 5 pct investment return in 2024

China's local pension fund saw a return on investments of 5.52 percent in 2024, official data showed on Monday. The fund, managed by the National Council for Social Security Fund (NCSSF), generated investment income of nearly 105.69 billion yuan (about 14.87 billion U.S. dollars) last year, according to the NCSSF's annual report. Despite rising economic challenges at home and abroad in 2024, the NCSSF managed to preserve and grow the value of the fund, thereby helping to bolster the country's efforts...

Strengthening Nigeria’s pension sector: Rethinking the new capital requirements for PFAs and PFCs

The National Pension Commission’s (PENCOM) newly revised capital requirements for Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) & Pension Fund Custodians (PFCs), while aimed at strengthening the financial resilience of operators, risk creating unintended consequences that could undermine investor confidence, restrict innovation, and distort the competitive landscape of Nigeria’s pension sector. This public commentary advocates for a more balanced and globally aligned approach that preserves the safety of pension assets while enabling growth, competition, and sustainable operations. 1. Understanding the Nature of Pension...