November 2022

Italy to Boost Pension Spending in Bid to Keep Up With Inflation

Italy’s pensions will increase by 7.3% from next year to keep up with rising inflation, Finance Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said on Wednesday. The boost to retirement payments, which is automatic in contrast to wage hikes, will bring relief to households hit by soaring energy costs in the European Union’s third-biggest economy but may further complicate the European Central Bank’s efforts to rein in consumer prices. Overall, spending on pensions will increase by more than €50 billion ($50.4 billion) through 2025, the...

UK expected to raise state pensions, benefits in line with inflation

Britain is expected to increase state pension and welfare payments in line with inflation in next week's budget, the Times newspaper reported. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is expected to announce the increases to ensure that the Nov. 17 budget is seen as fair and compassionate, the report said. The government will set out its fiscal plans in an effort to rebuild investor confidence after a "mini-budget" earlier this year caused borrowing costs to surge. New finance minister Jeremy Hunt will seek...

US. Climate investors eye midterms with caution

After an active year of federal policy in favor of climate technology, investors are preparing to go it alone should the midterm results change the tone in Washington. Why it matters: Private investors may have to step up and fund potentially risky, capital-intensive projects like battery-manufacturing plants or grid-resilience projects should federal funds and incentives be pulled back or stopped altogether. Context: Several Republican candidates in state and federal races have indicated that ESG initiatives, particularly from large asset managers running...

Japan’s GPIF reports 0.88% decline for latest quarter

Japan's Government Pension Investment Fund, Tokyo, said its portfolio ended the latest quarter with ¥192.1 trillion ($1.33 trillion) in assets, down 0.88%, or $11.6 billion, from the prior quarter. In a statement posted on GPIF's website Friday, Masataka Miyazono, the pension fund's president, said rate hikes in the U.S. and Europe to contain inflationary pressures stoked concerns of recession, depressing stock prices at home and abroad. But the dollar's continued gains vs. the yen during the quarter ended Sept. 30, to...

Climate change poses a threat to health equality in the UK: The Longevity Science Panel report

The Longevity Science Panel, in collaboration with L&G, today publish a report analysing the current and future impacts of climate change on the UK's health. The research reveals that climate change will be experienced unevenly across different sections of the UK population, and may deepen health inequalities in physical and mental health in the UK. The report titled, The Effects of Climate Change on Health in the UK, shows that the most economically deprived and those who are already frail...

German pensions to rise in 2023 with contribution hikes on the horizon

As usual, pensions in Germany are set to go up next summer, according to a new report seen by Bild am Sonntag. As Germany struggles to retain the sustainability of its pension system, contribution rates are set to remain stable for next four years, but hikes are on the horizon. Pensions in Germany are adjusted every year in line with wage development. Although the increase in 2023 isn’t enough to offset the rising cost of living in Germany - and...

UK bond turmoil leaves smaller pension schemes with longer-term costs

The recent crisis in Britain's government bond market means smaller UK pension schemes may fork out more money for a bespoke liability-driven investment (LDI) strategy in future to ensure better protection, industry sources say. LDI products, sold by asset managers such as BlackRock, Legal & General and Schroders to pension funds, use derivatives to help them "match" assets and liabilities so there is no risk of shortfall in money to pay pensioners. Pension funds, who must post cash as collateral against...

These are the World’s Top 10 Retirement Destinations for 2023

World-renowned author and overseas retirement expert Kathleen Peddicord selects top retirement destinations plus a bonus list of the top 5 ‘Jet Set Destinations’ the leading resource for people who want to live, retire, and invest overseas, announced today its annual index of the 10 best places in the world to retire in 2023. This year, a bonus list of five jet set, luxury destinations will also be featured. The full index will be available to purchase in January 2023 at...

UK. Renewed focus needed to address barriers to pension engagement

Brian Byrnes, head of personal finance at Moneybox, explores how financial advisers will be key in tackling the issue of pensions engagement. Ten years on from the launch of auto enrolment in the UK, it’s important we reflect on its success, with more people than ever before contributing to their retirement, who otherwise wouldn’t have done so. But as we look ahead, the question we’re now faced with is how can the industry improve upon the initial successes of auto...

The future of defined contribution asset allocation

Strategy discussions around defined contribution workplace saving tend to focus on plan design and engagement but questions of asset allocation are also critical, according to a discussion summary of the most recent Jasper Forum. The Forum was led by Australian Retirement Trust head of asset liability management Brnic van Wyk, Putnam Investments' Mike Dullaghan, DCALTA's Jonathan Epstein, Aon's Rick Jones, Morningstar's Aron Szapiro, and Utrecht University PhD candidate Jorik van Zanden. In the discussion wrap-up, JM3 Projects principal John Mitchem said...