November 2023

World’s Largest Pension Fund Posts $4.5 Billion Quarterly Loss

Japan’s state pension fund, the world’s largest, posted a loss of ¥683.2 billion ($4.5 billion) on total assets during the three months through September as its holdings of domestic debt slumped by a record. The Government Pension Investment Fund lost 0.3% during the quarter, the fund said in Tokyo Thursday. Total assets rose slightly to ¥219.32 trillion due to a transfer of funds from the government’s account that manages its pension, according to a spokesperson. Domestic bonds lost 2.7%, the...

US. Fed keeps interest rates unchanged

For the second consecutive meeting, Federal Reserve officials on Nov. 1 held interest rates steady as the central bank aims to quell inflation without overcooling the economy. The Federal Open Market Committee left the federal funds rate unchanged at a range of 5.25% to 5.5% following its two-day meeting. Since March 2022, the Fed has raised the funds rate, which is now at its highest level since 2001, 525 basis points. "Given how far we have come, along with the uncertainties...

UK must seize DC pension learning opportunities to address decumulation challenges

Defined contribution (DC) pensions provide new opportunities to address retirement income challenges, but the UK can take lessons from countries with more developed DC pension systems to improve member outcomes, according to a Pensions Policy Institute (PPI) report. The PPI’s latest research report noted that while the UK had the second largest stock of pension assets in 2021, it was some way behind Australia, the US and Canada on the path to a fully formed DC system. It also warned that...

Study finds lack of financial planning leads to higher risk of death

People who don’t plan financially for their future have an increased risk of dying prematurely, according to new University of Colorado Boulder research. The research found that procrastinating financial planning for the future isn’t only bad for the wallet, it can affect life expectancy. The study analyzed data from thousands of older adults living in the U.S. and England, according to a release. The two groups were asked about their planning horizons on spending and saving. The researchers later checked government...

México. La ministra Piña acepta la propuesta de López Obrador para que los fideicomisos del Poder Judicial se entreguen a Acapulco

Las tensiones entre el Gobierno Federal y el Poder Judicial han logrado relajarse después de semanas de un álgido debate. La ministra presidenta de la Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación (SCJN), Norma Piña, ha aceptado la propuesta del presidente Andrés Manuel López Obrador de destinar los 15.000 millones de pesos de los 13 fideicomisos del Poder Judicial de la Federación a los damnificados por el paso del huracán Otis. El mandatario lanzó la propuesta este martes en...

Colombia. Ahorro para pensiones sigue con rendimiento positivo pese a mal tercer trimestre

Tras un primer semestre con buenos resultados para el ahorro propiedad de los trabajadores, cuando registró una ganancia récord de $31,3 billones, los resultados para el tercer trimestre presentaron desvalorizaciones. Asofondos explicó que los trabajadores verán reflejados en sus extractos pensionales dichos resultados lo que es un comportamiento normal en coyunturas como las observadas en los últimos meses. “Los mercados suelen ser muy sensibles y en particular en ese tercer trimestre se dieron caídas en la mayoría de activos a nivel...

Cuatro miradas sobre la propuesta constitucional que fractura Chile

Chile está en la cuenta regresiva para que arranquen las campañas informativas de quienes están a favor y en contra de la propuesta redactada por el Consejo Constitucional, controlado por las derechas, que busca superar la Carta Fundamental nacida en la dictadura de Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990. El próximo martes 7 de noviembre todos los participantes del segundo proceso constitucional participarán de la ceremonia de entrega oficial del proyecto al presidente, Gabriel Boric, lo que marcará el puntapié inicial a...

UK household wealth has tanked and it’s a sign of what could happen in the US

Household wealth in the UK has fallen sharply over the last two years in part thanks to high interest rates, and the factors that led to the drop suggest a similar scenario could be heading for the US. New research from the think tank Resolution Foundation found that median household wealth in the UK fell 21% from the start of 2022 through the third quarter of 2023, representing a loss of £2.2 trillion (US$2.7 trillion). The fall is due, in large...

Canada Pension Plan Increases Green, Transition Investments by 20% to C$79B

The C$575 billion ($416.4 billion) Canada Pension Plan Investment Board’s investments in green and transition assets rose 20% to C$79 billion, as of March 31, from C$66 billion at the same time in 2022, according to its “2023 Report on Sustainable Investing.” The pension giant, which aims to invest at least $130 billion in green and transition assets by 2030, also announced it has reached carbon neutrality for internal operations for scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions sources for fiscal...

UK: Pensions Dashboards: Connecting The Pots

For the first time, members will have information about all their pension savings, including their State Pension, in one place. Pensions Dashboards will be a catalyst for change across the pensions industry. Are you ready? At WTW, we believe a key part of Pensions Dashboards being effective and successful is ensuring that they form part of an engagement and education framework. For pension scheme trustees and sponsoring employers, there are benefits to a powerful Dashboard framework and risks associated with...