June 2026

Ukraine plans to completely change pension calculation system

Ukraine is preparing a major pension reform that would completely overhaul the pension calculation system. According to Censor.NET, this was announced by MP Olga Vasylevska-Smahliuk while commenting on the government’s reform proposal. Under the proposed changes, pensions would consist of two parts: a basic component and an insurance component. What the government is proposing The basic portion of the pension will be funded by the state. The insurance portion will depend on a person’s length of service and the contributions they have paid. The government is also proposing to introduce...

US. As retiree pensions shrank, Colorado PERA paid its staff millions of dollars in bonuses

In 2022, the Colorado state pension fund had its worst year since the Great Recession, losing $9.8 billion. The losses were so large, they set the Colorado Public Employees’ Retirement Association’s finances back for years, digging a hole that the pension is only now starting to climb out of. But in the aftermath, PERA’s investment managers took home some of their largest bonuses ever. On average, PERA’s investment staff more than doubled their take-home pay, earning bonuses of $299,000 — the equivalent...

India’s fertility rate falls below replacement level: Why it matters

India’s fertility rate has for the first time fallen below the level needed to stop the population from shrinking, raising concerns about future labour shortages and an ageing society. For decades, India has seen rapid population growth. According to government statistics, including the Sample Registration System (SRS) Statistical Report — the country’s largest demographic survey — India has had a falling fertility rate for some years, but the reproduction rate remained high enough to keep the population growing. The latest SRS...

US. This is the most underrated retirement savings move you should know about, says the head of Citizens Wealth Management

Americans are becoming less sure about their ability to retire well. Indeed, workers’ confidence in having enough money to live comfortably in retirement fell 6 percentage points from 2025 to 61%, according to a 2026 survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute. For some, that might mean a trip to a financial adviser to solidify plans (you can find an adviser at CFP Board, NAPFA or through this free tool that matches you to fiduciary advisers, from our ad partner SmartAsset)....

Blue Owl, Ares Court Mexico’s $500 Billion Pension Fund Windfall

In Mexico City, the executives have arrived from the likes of Blue Owl Capital Inc., Ares Management Corp. and Golub Capital, all seeking a rare prize: a large pot of untapped money. Firms that haven’t made the journey may already have fallen behind. Mexican pension funds, known as Afores, represent a $500 billion opportunity for the biggest alternatives firms. They’re ballooning in size thanks to reforms that increased how much money is contributed to workers’ accounts, while other rule changes have...

Rising costs push US retirement target to $1.46 million

Survey shows retirement target jumps to $1.46 million A Northwestern Mutual survey found that Americans now believe they need $1.46 million to retire comfortably, a $200,000 increase from 2025 and matching the record high seen in 2024. The findings revealed that 46% do not expect to be financially prepared, while 48% think it’s likely they will outlive their savings. Persistent cost-of-living pressures, especially in housing, healthcare, and energy, are driving these higher expectations. Retirement comfort varies by wealth tier • Poor retirees often...

Why Hasn’t the Labor Shortage Pushed Up Real Wages?

For a dozen years, the Bank of Japan, the government, and stockbrokers have all been promising that a labor shortage in Japan will soon push up wages. And that faith is behind the BOJ’s decision that it’s time to normalize interest rates. Here’s the argument. Due to the declining working-age population, companies in 2014 offered 1.2 jobs for every job seeker. By 2019, the ratio had climbed to 1.6 and is now 1.2. So, it is argued: when demand...

The war on Iran could send UK pensions up in smoke

As a barrage of Iranian missiles rained down on the Fujairah oil terminal, the explosion was deafening and the destruction dramatic: a brutal fire, thick black smoke stretching into the sky – and untold damage to one of the region’s crucial pieces of fossil fuel infrastructure. The Fujairah terminal is part of the UAE’s key oil export route because it bypasses the Strait of Hormuz, loading up ships with about 1.7 million barrels per day. The attack on 4 May...

Pension funds in Chile gain appreciation for catastrophe bonds and are allocating: Report

Over the last few year’s we’ve noticed increasing interest in the insurance-linked securities asset class as an investment opportunity from institutions in Latin America and now pensions in Chile have reportedly begun allocating to catastrophe bonds. Helped by a number of years of consecutive strong performance, catastrophe bonds and ILS as an investable asset class is generating meaningful attention. This has resulted in capital flows that have helped to fuel the expansion of the cat bond market over the last few...

China. Aging population triggers demand for ‘senior toys’

China's rapidly aging population is fueling a new consumer trend for "senior toys". With over 300 million citizens aged 60 or older, families are increasingly turning to specialized games, puzzles and therapeutic toys to combat cognitive decline and elderly isolation. However, industry insiders warn that the emerging market is still failing to meet the complex needs of older adults. Guo Xiafei used to think her grandmother was fine living on her own. But during her rare home visits to Chengdu,...