July 2024

Overcoming political short-termism in Latin America

Long before he became a leading theologian, Saint Augustine famously appealed to God: “Lord, grant me chastity and continence – but not yet.” It is an entreaty one can imagine governments in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) uttering. They know that their policymaking and planning must become more consistent and predictable. They recognize that their failure to implement lasting, credible reforms in areas ranging from taxation to pensions to education discourages investment and contributes to some of the world’s...

China to allow delayed retirement to combat population woes

 China will gradually raise its statutory retirement age, now among the world's lowest, to allow people to work longer, as it struggles to relieve soaring pressure on pension budgets, with many provinces already facing deficits. The reform is urgent, with life expectancy having risen in China to 78 years by 2021 from about 44 years in 1960, outstripping the United States, and is projected to exceed 80 years by 2050.   Sunday's announcement came in a key policy document that also rolled...

South Africa. Key two-pot bill signed into law

President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed into law the Pension Funds Amendment Bill that is key for the implementation of the two-pot retirement system, which takes effect on September 1. The signature into law of the bill gives legal certainty to the retirement industry, which has been implementing the necessary changes. The new system will provide members of retirement funds with the ability to access part of their retirement savings without having to resign or cash out their pension funds. The new...

México. Afores invertirán en los 10 Polos de Desarrollo de Claudia Sheinbaum: Amafore

De acuerdo con datos del Banco de México, uno de cada dos pesos de financiamiento en infraestructura en el país lo aportan las Administradoras de Fondos para el Retiro. Las Administradoras de Fondos para el Retiro (Afores) invertirán en los proyectos de infraestructura que se construirán como parte de los 10 polos de desarrollo que ha anunciado la virtual presidenta electa de México, Claudia Sheinbaum. Así lo dijo el presidente de la Asociación Mexicana de Afores (Amafore), Guillermo Zamarripa, durante la...

Perú. Normas Legales: Gobierno designa a Sergio Espinosa jefe de la SBS

El Poder Ejecutivo designó hoy a Sergio Javier Espinosa Chiroque superintendente de la Superintendencia de Banca, Seguros y Administradoras Privadas de Fondos de Pensiones. Así lo dispuso mediante una resolución suprema publicada en el boletín Normas Legales del Diario Oficial El Peruano. La norma indica que la designación de Espinoza Chiroque será comunicada al Congreso de la República conforme a lo dispuesto en el artículo 87 de la Constitución Política del Perú. La resolución suprema fue refrendada por la Presidenta de la República, Dina Boluarte;...

Recursos del Fondo de Pensiones solo compensan jubilaciones de mexicanos hasta 2045

El recién creado Fondo de Pensiones para el Bienestar alcanzará para elevar las jubilaciones de los trabajadores mexicanos al 100 % hasta 2045, aseguró este jueves el titular de la Unidad de Seguros, Pensiones y Seguridad Social de la Secretaría de Hacienda y Crédito Público (SHCP), Héctor Santana. El funcionario mexicano recordó, en el marco de la Feria de Afores 2024 organizada en la capital mexicana, que el Fondo ha recibido de más de 44.800 millones de pesos (unos 2.488...

King Charles III’s speech highlights U.K. retirement plans under new Labour government

King Charles III unveiled a “surprise” focus on the U.K.’s retirement market in his first King’s Speech — and the first under the new Labour government — on July 17, with the aim of strengthening investment by the country’s plans. In the speech, which outlines the government’s legislative agenda for the upcoming parliamentary year and sets out rules it aims to implement, the king said that “stability will be the cornerstone of my government’s economic policy and every decision will...

Most US adults worry about future of Medicare, Social Security, Gallup poll finds: ‘Magnitude of concern’

Adults in the U.S. are more worried than ever about whether Medicare and Social Security benefits will be available when they need them. In response to a Gallup poll released in June, 75% of adults age 65 and younger said they are “worried” or “extremely worried” about lack of Medicare availability, according to a press release. When it comes to Social Security benefits, 80% of survey respondents said the same. HEALTH CARE IS ‘OVERWHELMINGLY COMPLEX’ FOR OLDER ADULTS, EXPERTS SAY: ‘EVER-INCREASING HURDLE’ Both of those percentages...

At world’s biggest asset managers, ESG fund launches quietly stalling

At some of the world’s biggest asset managers, ESG fund launches are quietly stalling. BlackRock, Deutsche Bank's DWS Group, Invesco and the asset management arm of UBS Group are among firms that have cut the number of new funds with environmental, social and governance mandates, according to data provided by Morningstar Direct. This year through the end of May, just over 100 ESG funds were launched globally, putting the industry on track to fall well short of levels seen in recent years, the...

México. Afore XXI Banorte alinea sus actividades de operación e inversión al Acuerdo de París

Los objetivos basados en la ciencia (Science Based Targets Initiative, SBTi, por sus siglas en inglés), son metas alineadas a nivel mundial, basadas en la ciencia del clima, para reducir las emisiones de carbono y limitar la temperatura del mundo en línea con el Acuerdo de París. Empresas financieras como Afore XXI Banorte están comprometidas. Esta iniciativa se enmarca en el Pacto Mundial de las Naciones Unidas, el Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), el World Resources Institute (WRI) y el World...