May 2025
15May

Mexico. Afore Assets Surpass $350 Billion for the First Time

During the first quarter of the year, Mexican Afores surpassed $350 billion in assets under management for the first time in history, according to final figures from the regulatory agency. The Afores ended the first three months of the year with a total balance of MXN 7.194 trillion, equivalent to $359.7 billion, based on an average exchange rate of 20 pesos per dollar—the rate at which the Mexican currency was traded during the first quarter. The accumulation phase for Mexican Afores is nearing its end, and according to industry...

May 15, 2025
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15May

One-in-four UK pension schemes consider reducing US exposure amid tariff uncertainty

A new pulse survey by WTW reveals that a segment of UK defined benefit (DB) pension schemes are actively reconsidering their US exposures, amid mounting trade policy uncertainty and investor concern about global volatility. Polling conducted at WTW’s recent client forum (8th May) showed that while the majority of schemes are maintaining current allocations, around a quarter are now considering pulling back from U.S. assets and dollar exposure. This includes 25% of schemes considering a reduction in U.S. asset holdings. Meanwhile, 34% of...

May 15, 2025
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15May

Despite Turbulence, Colombian Pension Funds Grow by 11%

Although global markets have been marked by turbulence this year, Colombian pension funds posted double-digit returns during the first quarter. That is the picture reflected in figures recently published by the pension fund managers’ trade association, Asofondos. In a statement, the organization—which represents the AFPs Colfondos, Porvenir, Protección, and Skandia—reported that pension fund assets closed March 2025 with a total value of 467.7 trillion Colombian pesos (about USD 109.89 billion). This represents 11% growth compared to the 421.3 trillion pesos (USD 99 billion) reported in March 2024. “This growth reflects not only returns (which totaled 38 trillion pesos over...

May 15, 2025
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15May

Jamaica. Pension assets climb to record $811b

The Financial Services Commission (FSC) is advising pension fund managers to be cautious in their investment decisions so as to safeguard the retirement savings they administer. It comes against the backdrop of changing trade and immigration policies in the United States that the pension regulator said could impact the local economy, given the trade relationship between the two countries and Jamaica’s reliance on foreign aid for development purposes. Jamaica’s private pension market reached a record $810.97 billion in assets under management...

May 15, 2025
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15May

Survey shows cost and awareness gaps hinder access to voluntary insurance in Canada

A national survey conducted by Environics Research revealed gaps between Canadian employees’ desire for voluntary benefits and their access to them. The survey found that most employees consider benefits essential to their happiness and job retention. According to the results, 93 percent of respondents said benefits and insurance options directly influence their workplace satisfaction and decision to remain with their employer. Despite this, only 2 percent said they would ask their employer for more insurance options, even though 66 percent expressed interest...

May 15, 2025
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14May

UK relieved as government backs off from forced economic growth investment

The UK pensions industry has welcomed the launch of the voluntary initiative to be known as the Mansion House Accord, which sets government investment ambitions for UK workplace pension providers. The government has previously toyed with the idea of mandating investments in private markets, which Mansion House Compact signatories warned could lead to unintended consequences. The new initiative calls for UK workplace pension providers to invest 10% of their default funds into private markets, with 5% of the total allocated to UK assets...

May 14, 2025
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14May

US. Bill Would Lower Retirement Plan Eligibility Age to 18

Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA.) and Tim Kaine (D-VA.) have re-introduced the Helping Young Americans Save for Retirement Act. The bill was previously introduced last Congress in November 2023. Much like last time, the bill would reduce the participation age in ERISA-governed plans, currently set at 21 years old, to 18 years old. The purpose of the bill is to expand retirement savings to younger workers. ERISA plans would still be permitted to set a minimum age that is younger than 18. Employees...

May 14, 2025
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14May

Germany struggles to fix its pension system

Germany's baby boomers are retiring. Those born between 1955 and 1969, when the birth rate was at an all-time high, are also living longer. The workforce is not growing at the same rate. So who will pay the elderly's pensions? A considerable chunk of the federal budget goes into propping up the statuary pension system and the new Labor Minister, Bärbel Bas from the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), has reiterated an idea of how to partially fix that. The pension system in Germany, established in 1889,...

May 14, 2025
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14May

Türkiye’s birth rate falls further, deepening alarm over below-replacement fertility

The number of live births in Türkiye fell to 937,000 in 2024, as the average number of children per woman declined to 1.48—well below the replacement level of 2.1, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) reported on Tuesday. The total fertility rate refers to the average number of children a woman is expected to have over her reproductive lifetime, defined as the 15–49 age group. Compared with the EU average fertility rate of 1.38, Türkiye ranked 9th among member states and candidate countries....

May 14, 2025
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13May

Pension funds ‘to unlock up to £50bn’ of investment, with half for UK firms

The bosses of 17 of the UK’s biggest pension funds have struck a deal with the government that it claims will release up to £50bn worth of investments, with at least half earmarked for British assets including clean energy projects and homegrown startups. Fund managers including Aviva, Legal & General, M&G, Phoenix and the Universities Superannuation Scheme have agreed to sign a new “Mansion House accord” that will lead to at least 10% of their workplace pension schemes being invested...

May 13, 2025
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