September 2023

New Report Finds Public Pensions Play a Critical Role in Delivering Retirement Security for Older Americans While Reducing Wealth Inequality by Race and Gender

A new report finds that defined benefit pensions play a critical role in delivering adequate retirement income for older Americans while providing a key buffer against economic hardship for women, Blacks, Latinos, and those without a four-year college degree. The report also finds that the wealth value of lifetime pension income, particularly from public pensions, is distributed more equitably by race and gender than other private financial assets, thereby narrowing the wealth gap among older families. For example, public...

UK. Sunak tells PMQs he is ‘committed’ to pensions triple lock

Criticised over the state's pension policy, the PM says the government is committed to the triple lock He did not specify that this would extend beyond the next general election It follows Commons questions about maintaining the state pension triple lock beyond the next general election Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer asks the PM why Wandsworth escapee Daniel Khalife was not held in a category A prison The PM says such escapes are "extremely rare" and confirms an...

Health, Pensions, and Electricity Sectors Are Key to Fiscal Consolidation in Guinea-Bissau

Strengthening the pension system, improving health sector outcomes, and enhancing the performance of the electricity sector are key to consolidating fiscal space in Guinea-Bissau and accelerating development. These are some of highlights of the Public Expenditure Review (PER), a new report launched by the World Bank. With a small population of around 2 million and economic activity centered on the production and sale of unprocessed cashew nuts, Guinea-Bissau is beset by political instability and high rates of extreme poverty and vulnerability....

China can’t just rely on boosting births to address aging population issues, Renmin University professor says

China can't just rely on increasing childbirths to address its aging population issues, said Du Peng, vice principal of Renmin University of China. Regardless of how many children are born in China, the number of people who are aged 60 and above will roughly double to more than 500 million in the year 2050, he told reporters during a talk on Wednesday. To minimize the economic impact of such population changes, he said policymakers can take action today: by raising the...

Pensiones sociales hacen más rígido el gasto en México

Los constantes apoyos a Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) y los programas prioritarios como las pensiones y las obras emblemáticas, hacen 'más rígido' el control de gastos del gobierno federal, advirtió Moody’s Investors Service. Renzo Merino, vicepresidente y senior analyst de la calificadora, dijo en un análisis que estas dinámicas de gasto le restarán espacio fiscal al gobierno en adelante. Para el siguiente ejercicio fiscal, el gobierno federal planea un gasto neto total de 9 billones 66 mil millones de pesos, 4.3 por...

Chile. Reforma de pensiones: Gobierno insiste en destinar 4% de cotización adicional a seguro social y 2% a capitalización

Ad portas de que a fin de mes el gobierno envíe las indicaciones al proyecto de reforma de pensiones, con las cuales busca destrabar la iniciativa, que actualmente se tramita en la Comisión de Trabajo de la Cámara de Diputados, la ministra del Trabajo, Jeannette Jara, insistió en que la propuesta del Ejecutivo en cuanto al 6% de cotización adicional considera un 4% para seguro social y un 2% a cuentas individuales. Consultada respecto de si el gobierno está dispuesto...

Colombia. “La reforma pensional no busca subir la edad de pensión”: ministra del Trabajo, Gloria Inés Ramírez – Ministerio del trabajo

La ministra del Trabajo Gloria Inés Ramírez Ríos, fue enfática al explicar que la reforma pensional que está lista para su segundo debate en el Congreso de la República, no busca aumentar la edad de pensión. “ Esta reforma no tiene nada que ver con las edades de pensiones, ni con el ingreso básico de liquidación. La reforma tiene un artículo con el que creamos una comisión de economistas para que cada 4 años le den un reporte claramente...

UK. Pensions: Women get 35% less than men due to care responsibilities

Women's private pension funds are 35% lower than men's, according to the UK government's official estimates. Private pensions consist of workplace schemes or personal pensions set up by individuals using independent companies. Taking time off or going part-time means paying less into pensions during your working life. A charity said employers should do more to support women with caring responsibilities. Rowan Davies, 34, from Cardiff, is currently on maternity leave while caring for her five-month-old son Mabon. She said she was "very aware" of...

Carving a Path For Fixed Income Through Shifting Scenarios

With market expectations that the Federal Reserve is close to the end of its interest rate hiking cycle with the likelihood of avoiding a U.S. recession, institutional investors are considering a wider set of opportunities across fixed income and credit to take advantage of attractive current yields. A selective investment approach may be a prudent choice, allowing investors to withstand prolonged inflationary pressures, uncertainty over slowing growth and persistent geopolitical risks. “From our fixed-income perspective, we are back in an...

Uganda turns to local pension funds for funding after being blocked by World Bank

Uganda is turning to local pension funds as a survival measure following external freezing of funding from the World Bank. The EastAfrican has learnt that the government is in talks with the World Bank for the lender to rescind its decision to withhold budget support for Kampala worth Ush6.7 trillion ($1.787 billion). The bank suspended funding last month in the wake of Kampala’s decision to pass a new anti-homosexual law deemed by the West as a violation of rights of...