March 2026
10Mar

Five ‘critical forces’ reshaping global retirement systems

There are five 'critical forces' reshaping retirement systems around the world, with countries facing challenges balancing fiscal sustainability and retirement adequacy, according to a report from State Street. Its analysis identified these global forces as: demographic ageing, socioeconomic shifts (including the rise of gig working), technological disruption, rising longevity, and mounting fiscal pressures. The report highlighted that while countries had vastly different system designs, every nation was facing similar challenges and most were converging towards portable defined contribution models and flexible...

March 10, 2026
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10Mar

Hong Kong Regulators Widen GenA.I. Sandbox Across Financial Services

Hong Kong’s financial regulators have widened a regulatory sandbox for generative artificial intelligence, extending the programme beyond banking to cover securities, asset and wealth management, insurance, pensions and stored-value facilities as authorities push to position the city as a hub for responsible AI use in finance. The new initiative, called GenA.I. Sandbox++, was launched on March 5 by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the Securities and Futures Commission, the Insurance Authority and the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority, in collaboration with Cyberport. It builds on the original GenA.I....

March 10, 2026
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09Mar

US. Pension freezes threaten retirement security again

A growing number of employers, including major healthcare systems like Intermountain Health, are freezing pensions, signaling a renewed shift away from guaranteed retirement income. Rising costs, longer life spans, and market volatility are driving companies toward defined contribution plans that transfer investment risk to employees. Workers now face the challenge of replacing lost pension value through higher personal savings, revised portfolio strategies, and alternative retirement products. Intermountain Health freezes pension plan for many employees Intermountain Health, a major nonprofit health system...

March 9, 2026
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09Mar

South Korea. Six in Ten Incheon Districts Enter Super-Aged Society

Incheon is transforming from a "young city" into a "rapidly aging city." The Incheon Social Service Agency released results of its 6th Community Welfare Survey on the 9th, warning that demand for care, medical services, and mobility support could surge within the next five to ten years. Incheon's elderly dependency ratio growth rate stands at 38.4%, which is 5.6 percentage points higher than the national average of 32.8%. Six of the city's ten districts have already entered super-aged society status:...

March 9, 2026
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09Mar

German pensions to rise by 4,24 percent in July

The German government has announced that statutory pension payments will increase by 4,24 percent from July 1, 2026. The increase, which will benefit around 21 million pensioners in Germany, is slightly higher than a prognosis increase issued in the autumn. According to the Federal Labour Ministry, this will increase the current pension value (aktueller Rentenwert) from 40,79 euros to 42,52 euros. Why is this figure significant? The German pension system is points-based. A year’s contributions at the average earnings of all contributors earns you one “pension point”...

March 9, 2026
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09Mar

EU Gender Equality Progress Slowed by Persistent Pension Gap

According to a report from Euronews, full gender equality across the European Union remains a distant prospect, estimated to be at least five decades away. This outlook persists despite acknowledged advancements in women's representation in leadership and a narrowing pay gap. A primary area of concern is the disparity in pension benefits. Data from 2024 indicates that the average pension for women aged 65 and over in the EU was one quarter lower than that for men. This gap was...

March 9, 2026
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06Mar

Estimated funded status of 100 largest U.S. DB pension plans reaches 84.7%: report

The funded status of the 100 largest U.S. defined benefit pension plans is projected to have reached 84.7 per cent as of Nov. 30, 2025, according to a new report by Milliman Inc. It noted the last time these plans reached similar heights was in December 2021, when the funded ratio reached 85.5 per cent, a high-water mark in the nearly 14-year history of the report. The report also found aggregate assets reached US$5.05 trillion and total pension liability was $6.50...

March 6, 2026
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06Mar

Iran conflict: markets and money questions answered

Geopolitical events can move markets quickly and unpredictably. The escalation of tensions involving Iran has prompted understandable questions from investors about what it means for markets, energy prices, interest rates and household finances. Periods like this often bring heightened volatility as markets attempt to price in uncertainty. Investors reassess risks to global growth, inflation and trade, particularly when events affect strategically important regions such as the Middle East. History suggests that while markets can react sharply in the short term —...

March 6, 2026
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06Mar

Canada’s largest pension funds joining Australian peers to increase investments in both countries

Canada’s largest pension funds are joining an initiative that aims to boost pension investments between Canada and Australia. The Canadian-Australian Pension Funds Investment Initiative, announced Wednesday during Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to Australia, will create a framework for pension funds in the two countries to discuss policy barriers and associated solutions to improve the current business environment. The agreement includes participation from the Alberta Investment Management Corp., the British Columbia Investment Management Corp., the Caisse de dépôt et placement du...

March 6, 2026
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05Mar

UK. DWP State Pension age change begins April 2026 as payment increase confirmed

The State Pension age is due to increase from 66 to 67 from next month, with the change anticipated to be fully implemented for all men and women across the UK by 2028. This proposed rise in the official retirement age has been in place since 2014, with an additional increase from 67 to 68 planned between 2044 and 2046. The Pensions Act 2014 brought forward the State Pension age increase from 66 to 67 by eight years. The UK...

March 5, 2026
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