December 2022

New FCA nudges for better long-term outcomes in non-workplace pensions

The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published new rules for providers of non-workplace pensions. The intervention was prompted by FCA findings that suggested that, like in defined contribution workplace pensions, the non-workplace pension sector suffered from low consumer engagement combined with complex and confusing products and charges. The regulator said the issue had caused a lack of competitive pressure to drive better value for consumers. It also found that non‑advised customers often may end up investing in products that...

South Korea’s Corporate Retirement Pension Funds Jump 15.5% in 2021: Statistics Korea

South Korea's corporate retirement pension funds under management expanded 15.5% to 295 trillion won as of end-December 2021 from a year earlier, Yonhap News reported Monday, citing data compiled by Statistics Korea. A total of 425,000 firms in the country adopted the retirement pension funds scheme for their employees as of last year, marking a growth of 4% from 2020, according to the report. The corporate retirement pension program covered nearly 6.8 million workers in 2021, which accounted for 53.3%...

Ghana. Conduct stress test on pension funds -Think tank to government

The government has been urged to conduct a comprehensive stress test on the decision to include pension funds in the proposed domestic debt exchange programme (DEP). The test should be conducted by the Ministry of Finance (MoF), in collaboration with all stakeholders and debtors, as part of best practices required to reveal the possible implications of including pension funds in the programme. Contributing to the debate on the proposed involvement of pension funds in the DEP, the Executive Director, Africa Centre...

El Salvador’s Congress approves pension system reforms

El Salvador's Congress on Tuesday approved reforms to increase pensions and create a state entity to supervise the retirement income system, despite criticism from experts who argued the measures were insufficient. Among the reforms, proposed by President Nayib Bukele, are a 30% rise in pensions and a cap of $3,000 a month. The minimum will rise to $400 a month from $304, according to a government statement that noted that 100,000 people past working age had not left their jobs due...

US. New Spending Bill Makes It Easier for Americans Saving for Retirement

After years of negotiation, lawmakers introduced a retirement security package as part of a $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill early Tuesday. The package, referred to as SECURE 2.0, includes several provisions, such as expanding automatic enrollment in 401(k) and 403(b) plans, enhancing the tax credit for small businesses launching a retirement plan and allowing employers to make matching contributions to a 401(k) plan, 403(b) plan or SIMPLE IRA based on qualified student loan payments. The package combines three bipartisan bills from...

UK. Pensions regulator unveils consultation on defined benefit funding

A draft funding code of conduct and consultation on defined benefit (DB) pension schemes has been unveiled by The Pensions Regulator, requiring trustees to think carefully about risk management to improve security for their members. Under the draft code and consultation, schemes will be expected to set a long-term objective and a “journey plan” for achieving it. The regulator expects schemes will reduce their reliance on sponsoring employers as they reach maturity. The consultation requires trustees to raise the bar...

5 Takeaways on the State of ESG Investing

ESG investing is hot. But what does it actually deliver for society and for shareholders? For the past several years or so, major funds, managers, and institutional investors have been stocking their portfolios with investments in firms that claim to be engaged in positive environmental, social, and governance (ESG) activities. On the websites of actively managed funds, investors show giant banners touting a commitment to invest in firms working to make the world a better, safer place, says Aaron Yoon, assistant...

Ghana labour unions call for strike over local debt swap

Ghana's main unions on Monday called for a nationwide strike from next week in protest against the inclusion of workers' pensions in a local debt swap programme as part of the terms for an IMF credit. A top cocoa and gold producer, Ghana has oil and gas reserves but its debt payments are high and its revenues weak. Like the rest of Africa, it has been hit by economic fallout from the global pandemic and the Ukraine war. Two weeks ago, the...

US. Pension Risk Transfer Market Keeps Setting Records

The U.S. pension risk transfer market showed no sign of slowing in the third quarter of 2022, as market activity continues to reach new levels The year’s first quarter saw $5.3 billion in sales split about evenly between single premium buy-ins and buyouts, according to data from financial industry research organization LIMRA. That mark was 40% higher than 2021’s first quarter and the highest first-quarter result on record. There were no buy-in contracts sold in Q2, but single premium buyout sales...

UK. Early retirement and our ageing population are causing labour shortages, says Lords report

Economic inactivity has increased by 565,000 people since the start of the pandemic - a stark reversal of what was happening before 2020. The biggest contributor to this change has been an increase in early retirement, the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee concluded today in its report “Where have all the workers gone?” Background Earlier retirement is the biggest of four factors that have made it harder to fill jobs. Increasing sickness; changes in the structure of migration; and an...