September 2025
26Sep

US. Fewer people counting on a ‘miracle’ to retire comfortably

Americans are feeling more optimistic about their chances of a secure retirement — a lot more. A new study from Natixis Investment Managers shows the number of U.S. investors who believe it will “take a miracle” to achieve retirement security dropped to 21% in 2025, a major change from 39% in 2023 This big swing in attitude is largely attributed to the excellent performance of the stock market lately. The S&P 500 has delivered two back-to-back years of returns over 20%,...

September 26, 2025
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26Sep

Extended lifespans create retirement crisis fears among Hongkongers

Hongkongers live longer than almost anyone else on earth. The latest census confirms that women can now expect to reach an extraordinary 88.4 years, while men live on average 82.8 years. These are statistics that health officials applaud, a testament to medical advances, hygiene, social discipline and decades of investment in public healthcare. Yet this same triumph of longevity has delivered an uncomfortable paradox i.e. for many it feels less like a blessing, more like a curse. A new...

September 26, 2025
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25Sep

Namibia. The technicalities of financing housing through pensions

The Namibian government has recently approved a reduction in the interest rate pension funds must apply when they provide housing loans to members. This decision has sparked national discussion, as it directly impacts the interests of members of both public and private pension funds who may want to utilise their retirement savings to secure a home. Pension-backed housing loans are not a new phenomenon. The Pension Funds Act No. 24 of 1956, as amended, has long made provision for such...

September 25, 2025
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25Sep

We need to harness pensions to progress the SDGs and economic prosperity

A decade after their adoption, the UN Sustainable Development Goals still need trillions of dollars of investment. Ten years ago today, the UN Sustainable Development Goals were adopted by 193 states at the UN General Assembly in New York. Celebrities from Beyoncé to Stephen Hawking and Malala backed the launch. The then-US President Barack Obama called it a historic achievement. He also warned that emerging and developing nations, “don’t just want aid, they want trade. They want businesses. They want investment”. In...

September 25, 2025
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25Sep

UK. ESG as part of investment strategies

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) considerations have become central to pension scheme investment strategies. As major institutional investors, pension schemes are at the forefront of an evolving regulatory and stakeholder landscape that demands both compliance and meaningful action. The ESG imperative for pension schemes ESG is no longer a ‘nice to have’ for schemes’ investment considerations. As the Pensions Regulator (TPR) has recently stated, awareness of and managing systemic risks is now a core part of effective trusteeship. It's a statutory...

September 25, 2025
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25Sep

US. Why Corporate Pensions Are Acting Like Bond Traders

The corporate pension de-risking market has hit the brakes after a record-breaking run. More than $14 billion in pension risk transfers were executed YTD through Q3 2024—the highest level in over 16 years. Yet YTD Q2 2025, volume had dropped 64% year-over-year. What’s driving this sharp reversal? Increasingly, it appears that corporate plan sponsors are behaving like bond traders—actively timing their de-risking strategies around rate moves and market conditions. Pension liabilities are highly sensitive to long-term interest rates. When rates rise, the present value of...

September 25, 2025
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24Sep

US. House Oversight probes whether American retirees’ pension funds are being weaponized: ‘Progressive playbook’

The House Oversight Committee is setting its sights on insurance companies that may have discriminated against entities with right-wing views. The committee is also looking into whether retirees' pension accounts were being used to invest in progressive policies they may not necessarily agree with, Fox News Digital has learned. "The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is investigating improper restrictions on access to capital and capital markets of individuals and entities based on political viewpoints or involvement in certain industries (such...

September 24, 2025
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24Sep

UK. Invisible workers face pension crisis

New research from PensionBee, a leader in the consumer retirement market, reveals a deepening divide in the UK’s pension system, with millions of self-employed, gig economy and lower-income workers being denied the same chance of a secure retirement as those in traditional employment. Of the most striking results of the survey of 1,000 UK adults working in the gig economy, was that only 16% of those earning under £15,000 report paying regularly into a personal pension, whilst less than...

September 24, 2025
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24Sep

Leveraging pension funds as an alternative source for climate funding in Ghana

Ghana can unlock a transformative source of climate finance by strategically channelling part of its growing pension fund assets into climate-aligned investments. With pension assets reaching GH¢86.23 billion as of 2024, the country has significant untapped potential to bridge climate financing gaps. Directed deployment of this capital into renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and resilient infrastructure, enabled under existing NPRA and SEC guidelines, offers a scalable pathway to accelerate progress toward national climate commitments, deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),...

September 24, 2025
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24Sep

Australia. Analysis reveals benefit of lifetime income products

nvestment-linked lifetime income products can enhance retirement outcomes and sustainable regular income for Australian retirees, according to new research from Accurium. The findings of the research are significant, given that a central issue in retirement planning is longevity risk, or the fear of outliving savings, and demonstrate how investment-linked lifetime income products can help by providing income guaranteed for life that can grow with investment performance. It also found that these products improved access to the age pension, with modelling showing...

September 24, 2025
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