November 2023

Pension funds have lost market share among 100 largest asset owners with $23T AUM

The 100 largest asset owners in the world saw their assets under management decline by 9% by the end of 2022 compared to the previous year, but still controlled more than $23 trillion in assets. But who are they? Five years ago, pension funds were in pole position, holding 60% of AUM among the top 100 owners at the time. But relative investment performance – with a slower correction in their collective assets – and new inflows means sovereign wealth funds have...

Australian pension fund makes £5.25bn commitment to UK

Calls for UK pension schemes to invest more in the economy have been renewed following the news that Australian pension fund, Aware Super, is looking to direct a A$10bn (£5.25bn) investment commitment in the UK and Europe. Announcing the investment at the Global Investment Summit, Aware Super said that it has plans to expand its assets under management, with international expansion into the UK a key strategy aimed at achieving that goal. The fund, which officially opened its first international office...

S. Korea’s youth population expected to halve in 30 years

The number of young South Koreans was expected to halve in 30 years amid the rapidly aging population and the record-low birthrate, the country's statistical agency said Monday. The number of those aged 19-34 totaled 10,213,000 in 2020, taking up 20.4 percent of the country's total population, according to Statistics Korea. The number was forecast to drop to 5,213,000 in 2050 after steadily declining from 13,849,000 in 1990 to 12,883,000 in 2000 and 10,967,000 in 2010. The percentage of youth to the...

Nigeria. N130bn pension fund invested in infrastructure – PenCom

Pension Fund Administrators invested N130.18 billion funds under the Contributory Pension Scheme in infrastructure as of the end of September 2023. Figures obtained from the National Pension Commission on ‘Unaudited report on pension funds industry portfolio for the period ended 30 September 2023- Approved Existing Schemes, Closed Pension Fund Administrators and RSA Funds (Including unremitted contributions @CBN & legacy funds’, revealed. According to the figures, total assets under the CPS stood at N17.35tn as of the period under review. Part of the...

Canada. Alberta premier quiet on reason for abandoning promised in-person CPP exit consults

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith won’t say what happened to her government’s promise to hold face-to-face meetings with citizens in December on quitting the Canada Pension Plan. However, thousands of citizens got their say or tuned in to five recent telephone town hall consultations, she said during a house question period last week, noting nearly 100,000 people participated online. “We’re going to ask the chair of that committee, Jim Dinning, to give us his impressions of where we find ourselves.” New Democratic...

How to Calculate Your Retirement Cost of Living

When it comes to retirement, understanding the potential cost of living is important for effective financial planning. Without a clear idea of these costs, you can run the risk of outliving your savings or compromising your lifestyle. Here’s what you need to know to calculate your retirement cost of living. A financial advisor can help you determine what you need to put in your budget for retirement. Finding a financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three...

US. The Pension: That Rare Retirement Benefit Gets a Fresh Look

In an economy characterized by a volatile stock market and elevated inflation, a sure thing looks better than ever. For some Americans in the labor force right now, that looks like a pension. Striking members of the United Automobile Workers union made waves this year when the union’s leaders demanded the reopening of defined-benefit pension plans for workers hired after late 2007. Although U.A.W. leadership failed to persuade automakers to reopen the plans, the bold move didn’t go unnoticed by...

UK pension transfer boom continues as deals worth $11 bln struck

Two British insurers on Friday struck deals to take on a combined 8.8 billion pounds ($11 billion) of company pension liabilities, including the largest such UK deal so far, as pension schemes strive to limit their risks in volatile markets. Legal & General (LGEN.L) said it had agreed a so-called full buy-in to the Boots Pension Scheme worth 4.8 billion pounds, in what it said was the largest such deal in Britain by premium size. Pension insurance specialist Rothesay, meanwhile, said it...

Romania Pension Law Could Pose Medium-Term Fiscal Risk

Romania’s new pension law could result in a less favourable sovereign debt trajectory and weaken fiscal credibility over the medium term if implemented as planned and without offsetting measures, Fitch Ratings says. The eventual impact will depend on the broader direction of fiscal policy, including efforts to exit the ongoing Excessive Deficit Procedure. The new law, which received parliamentary approval on 20 November, is intended to remove inconsistencies in how state pensions are calculated as part of efforts to improve...

UK to increase state pension by 8.5%, sticks with ‘triple lock’ commitment

Britain's publicly funded state pension will increase by 8.5% from April 2024, finance minister Jeremy Hunt said on Wednesday. The increase is based on average earnings data published in September and was in line with the government's "triple lock" policy on pension changes. The triple lock is a government promise to raise the value of publicly funded pensions by whichever is highest out of the level of earnings, inflation or 2.5%. Ahead of Hunt's budget update statement, media reports had suggested he...