April 2025
08Apr

UK. DWP secretary Liz Kendall makes Triple Lock state pension announcement

Department of Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has made an announcement on the future of the state pension Triple Lock as pensioners get a 'pay rise' today. Millions of pensioners will receive as much as £470 more a year added to their State Pension from today because of the pensions Triple Lock. The Triple Lock – which guarantees that the State Pension increases annually by the highest of inflation, average earnings growth or 2.5% – means the basic and...

April 8, 2025
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08Apr

EIOPA launches liquidity stress test of European pension funds

The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) has launched its fifth stress test of European occupational pension funds, assessing the impact of two adverse economic scenarios on the liquidity position of IORPs and the overall sector. The two scenarios simulate sharp increases and declines in interest rates, respectively. “In the ‘yield curve up’ scenario, EU interest rates increase sharply as market participants anticipate economic developments related to the abrupt escalation of geopolitical tensions,” said EIOPA. “These geopolitical tensions cause disruptions in...

April 8, 2025
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08Apr

South Korea’s National Pension Service Eyes Blockchain for $890B Fund’s Transactions

South Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS), which manages 1,224 trillion won ($836 billion) in assets, plans to look at how a blockchain could be used in its fund transaction systems. The organization is weighing a shift to blockchain technology to boost transparency and security in managing its deposits, withdrawals and investments, according to Seoul Economic Daily, which cited industry sources. The NPS plans to begin a preliminary disclosure process, inviting blockchain experts and companies to weigh in before formally launching the initiative, the news...

April 8, 2025
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08Apr

South Africa’s pension system holds ground amid global shifts

South Africa’s R4.8tn pension industry may be a small player on the global stage, but its role in local capital markets and long-term national development is outsized – and becoming increasingly strategic as global trends reshape the future of retirement funding. The Global Pension Assets Study 2025, released by the Thinking Ahead Institute (TAI), places South Africa 16th among 22 major pension markets, with total pension assets of $257bn (R4.8tn) at the end of 2024. While this represents a modest 0.4%...

April 8, 2025
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08Apr

Kenyans’ pension contributions have almost doubled since 2022

Kenyans’ contributions towards pension schemes have nearly doubled since 2022, data from the Retirement Benefits Authority (RBA) shows. RBA records show pension contributions over the last three years have risen from Ksh.62.73 billion for the half year ending June 2022 to Ksh.118.80 billion for the half ending December 2024. For the six months ending in December 2022, pension contributions were Ksh.70.26 billion, then climbed to Ksh.83.14 billion in the half-year up to June 2023 and further to Ksh.105.65 in the second...

April 8, 2025
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07Apr

US pension funds to target directors over AI oversight failings

US pension funds are sharpening their focus on director oversight of company AI usage, with three funds across the country adding language to their voting policies on holding them accountable for poor AI oversight. San Francisco’s $33 billion employee retirement system was the first fund to add language to this effect. Trustees voted this year to approve amendments to its proxy voting policy stating that, “where there is evidence that insufficient oversight and/or management of AI technologies has resulted in...

April 7, 2025
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07Apr

State Pension Rates to Rise for Over 12 Million UK Pensioners Starting April 2025

From Sunday, April 6, 2025, over 12 million UK pensioners will see their weekly State Pension payments increase, as new rates are introduced. The full new State Pension will rise from £221.20 to £230.25 per week, offering an annual boost of £470 for those receiving the full payment. This increase is part of the government’s annual review, which adjusts pension rates each year on the start of the new tax year. The decision to raise these payments comes after careful consideration of inflation,...

April 7, 2025
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07Apr

Jamaica. How will tariffs impact retirement?

It is a tumultuous time for world economies. With the raging tariff war, which is likely to trigger another round of high inflation, investors and retirees face more uncertain times. I recently had separate discussions with two individuals from opposite ends of the age spectrum; one seeking assistance with planning for retirement and the other needing financial advice to navigate the retirement years. The 36-year-old employee was concerned with the time value of money, while the retiree wrestled with how...

April 7, 2025
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07Apr

Turkey. Fast aging population in agriculture threatens food security

The aging population in Türkiye’s agriculture is posing a risk to the country’s food security, Union of Turkish Agricultural Chambers (TZOB) President Şemsi Bayraktar has warned, calling for urgent action to lure the young population into the industry. The average age of farmers rose to 59 last year with the average being 58 for men and 61 for women, Bayraktar said. Some 35 percent of them are over 65 years old, and another 35 percent are between the ages of 50 and 64,...

April 7, 2025
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04Apr

Oil spills, scandals of the past embolden ESG stance of U.N. pension fund CEO

A plastic water bottle might not prompt most people to engage in lighthearted employee ribbing, but for Pedro Guazo, the CEO of the office of investment management at the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund, it did. As he watched the office's communications officer, Pilar Lagos, pull a mini water bottle out of her bag during a meeting, he remarked: “Is that,” he asked playfully, “a single-use plastic water bottle?” Sitting on top of the large conference room table was a...

April 4, 2025
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