December 2023

Anticipated U.S. Population Decline and the Risks Ahead

U.S. Census Bureau projections from November reveal a startling prospect: The United States population will most likely begin to decline by 2080, spelling out substantial risks for economic and social stability in the coming decades. Population growth is critical for maintaining a strong economy and preserving social safety net programs, yet in many parts of the U.S., the rising cost of living along with stagnating wages are causing more and more young people to rethink their goals of starting a family....

UK. New report finds greening pensions reduces carbon footprint more than stopping flying

Scottish Widows’ latest Green Pensions Report has found that while most Brits are well aware of how to reduce their carbon footprint through changing their behaviours, two thirds (67%) don’t know how to switch to a ‘green pension’. If this information gap were to be addressed by the government, industry and employers, UK consumers could collectively save up to 386 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually through their pensions[1] – the equivalent of 11 return flights from London to New...

India. About 95% of country’s population uninsured, reveals report

As much as 95 per cent of the country's population is uninsured despite the government and the insurance regulator's efforts to expand coverage, the National Insurance Academy said in a report, which was released on Thursday. Unveiling the report, Irdai Chairman Debasish Panda urged the industry to emulate steps that led to the massive success of the UPI, opening of bank accounts, as well as mobile penetration. Panda said a compulsory natural calamity insurance in high-risk regions -- as recommended in...

Annuities Are Back in Favour

"In an environment of high market volatility and high interest rates, life annuities are an option to consider again," says Spencer Look, director at the Morningstar Center of retirement and policy studies in Chicago. "Interest rates, he continues, are allowing annuity income levels not seen since the mid-2000s." The figures in Quebec confirm this, showing an increase of 17.7% between 2021 and 2022. Of the six main product categories listed in the 2022 Annual Report on Financial Institutions and Credit...

Retirement ages on the rise to protect pension systems, OECD says

Millions of people globally will have no choice but to work into their seventies to ease increasing pressure on pension systems as life expectancy rates continue to rise, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has said. OECD countries are moving to increase statutory retirement ages, curb early retirement and offer employees incentives to work longer to boost the sustainability of their pension systems, the Paris-based organisation said in its Pensions at a Glance 2023 report. “Governments have several tools available to further promote the employment and employability of...

US. First LAX Strikes in 20 Years Pose Potential Fiduciary Risk for Public Pension Funds

Last week, hundreds of workers employed by PAI Partners-owned concessionaire, Areas USA, walked out on strike at Los Angeles International Airport, following workers’ first strike on November 21. PAI Partners is a private equity investment firm based in Paris, France. Workers’ decision to strike during the busy holiday season came after Areas has failed to agree to wage increases workers need to afford the soaring cost of housing in the Los Angeles area. "My coworkers and I are on strike because...

Nigeria. Pension coverage: Micro pension’s impact on informal sector (Part 1)

The Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) is a vital initiative empowering individuals to secure their financial well-being in old age. Tailored initially for formal sector employees, the CPS was extended to include informal sector workers following the Pension Reform Act (PRA) amendment in 2014. Guided by the provisions of the PRA 2014, the National Pension Commission (PenCom) introduced the Micro Pension Plan (MPP) with the specific objective of broadening pension coverage to include workers in the informal sector. Under the MPP,...

New EU gig worker rules will decide who should get benefits for full-time workers

In a bid to improve working conditions for people delivering food and offering rides through smartphone apps, the European Union on Wednesday gave temporary approval to rules that stipulate that Who should get the benefits of full-time employees and restrict online avenues? Platforms use algorithms to manage their employees. The European Parliament and the 27 EU member states agreed on a platform worker directive that took years to create. It aims to boost protections and benefits for the growing number...

Developed Nations’ Public Pension Plans Dropped By Average of 15% in 2022

How bad was 2022’s market slide that hurt pension public pension plans in developed nations? Bad: They showed losses of about 15% on average, according to figures from an annual study by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. The arrival of higher interest rates and inflation, as the world struggled out of the COVID-19 pandemic, led to significant losses in asset values in OECD countries, the report showed. Losses ranged from 21% in the U.K. and 18% in the Netherlands to 9% in...

US. Study finds healthier funding status for DB plans raising interest in LDI strategy reviews

U.S.-based defined benefit pension plan sponsors are increasingly looking to assess their liability-driven investment strategies as they reach fully funded statuses, according to a new study by Coalition Greenwich and commissioned by Franklin Templeton. The study found nearly three-quarters (73 per cent) of pension plan sponsors reported funding ratios of 100 per cent or higher, while the rest had funding ratios above 110 per cent. Roughly half of respondents said they’re concerned about “substantial overlap in holdings” among their LDI...