March 2025
14Mar

Argentina: Pensioners and soccer fans unite in protests

Argentine pensioners and soccer fans clashed with police on Wednesday as a protest unfolded in front of Congress, with citizens rallying against the economic policies brought in by the government of President Javier Milei. It was an unlikely mix with retirees gathered in Buenos Aires flanked by soccer fans from teams normally at odds with one another. What started as a peaceful event escalated into violent clashes as police fired water cannons, tear gas and pellets while protesters threw stones. The crowd...

March 14, 2025
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14Mar

US. CalSTRS CIO Scott Chan: Trump administration policies raise risk of recession, stagflation

CalSTRS CIO Scott Chan said the probability of a future recession accompanied by stagflation has increased due to the “unprecedented and world-changing” risks associated with the Trump administration’s policies. In a livestream of the March 12 investment committee meeting of the $349.7 billion California State Teachers’ Retirement System, West Sacramento, Chan cited President Donald Trump’s spate of executive orders in his first weeks in office as the primary driver of the risk of uncertainty in the markets. “As you know, markets...

March 14, 2025
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14Mar

ETFs set to be high on the menu for Hong Kong pension funds

Asset managers in Hong Kong could have a greater incentive to launch lower-cost passive solutions following the rollout of the digital platform for the local pensions sector, industry experts tell Ignites Asia. The eMPF, a digital version of the territory’s Mandatory Provident Fund retirement scheme launched in June 2024 after years of development, with all of Hong Kong’s 24 retirement saving schemes scheduled to join the platform by the end of 2025. The new platform looks to address long-standing criticisms of...

March 14, 2025
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14Mar

Greece. BoG: The value of occupational pension fund assets increased by €80 million

The total value of Occupational Pension Fund (hereafter referred to as “Funds“) assets increased by €80 million compared to the previous quarter, reaching €2.508 billion at the end of Q4 2024. More specifically, the total deposits of the Funds saw a €7 million increase, reaching €73 million at the end of Q4 2024. The proportion of deposits in relation to total assets stood at 2.9%, compared to 2.7% in the previous quarter. The value of total investments in debt securities rose to €1.123 billion at the end of Q4 2024, up from €1.108 billion in the previous quarter....

March 14, 2025
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14Mar

Ghanaians prioritise savings as economic challenges persist – Report

Amid economic uncertainties and rising financial stress, Ghanaians are shifting their focus towards savings and long-term financial security. The 2024 Old Mutual Financial Services Monitor has revealed a significant decline in the number of people dipping into their savings to cover shortfalls, signaling a growing emphasis on financial discipline. According to the report, only 18% of working Ghanaians used their savings to make ends meet in 2024, a sharp decline from 61% in 2023. This change suggests that more individuals are...

March 14, 2025
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13Mar

US. A group of Democratic New York senators are asking the state pension to divest from Tesla, citing ‘increasingly perilous’ risk with Elon Musk as CEO

As the price of Tesla shares plummet, a group of Democratic New York state senators are urging the state’s comptroller to divest the state pension fund’s position in the Elon Musk–run automaker. The senators—a group of 23 Democratic representatives led by Senator Patricia Fahy (D—Albany)—sent a letter to the New York State Comptroller, Thomas Napoli, on Tuesday afternoon, asserting that Tesla’s volatile stock performance may pose an “increasingly perilous and financially unsustainable risk” to the pension fund, particularly if Elon Musk remains...

March 13, 2025
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13Mar

UK Officials Urge Pension Funds to Invest 10% of Assets at Home

UK government officials are piling pressure on pension fund managers to commit 10% of their assets to listed and unlisted British equities as part of a rebooted Mansion House compact in the summer. Torsten Bell, the pensions minister, has suggested a voluntary 10% allocation to the UK during conversations with the industry, according to five investment managers who asked not to be named because the discussions were private. One of the people said the request carried an implicit threat that...

March 13, 2025
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13Mar

South Korea’s NPS pivots to sustainability, dials up risks in the portfolio

South Korea state pension fund National Pension Service (NPS) has delivered a new return record in 2024 driven by US tech stocks’ relentless rally, while its investments in global fixed income and alternatives also posted double-digit returns. This year, the world’s third-largest pension fund is gearing up to reduce coal investments to promote sustainability in the portfolio, and target riskier assets to ensure sustainability in funding. NPS announced a 15 per cent return on a money-weighted basis in 2024, which was...

March 13, 2025
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13Mar

US. Corporate Pension Funding Ratios Decline Amid Weak Market Returns

  Corporate pension plans over the past year have seen their funding surpluses increase significantly, as strong market returns and heightened interest rates consistently improved the health of corporate pension finances. However, in February, corporate pension funding ratios declined, a result of both weak equity returns and an increase in the value of pension plan liabilities, breaking a three-to-four-month streak of month-over-month increases. Funded Status Declines Investment consultant Wilshire estimated that the funded status of corporate U.S. pension plans in the S&P 500...

March 13, 2025
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12Mar

Stocks are down. What does this mean for older, younger Americans with 401(k)s?

Stocks tumbled this week amid growing concerns over the economic impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs. The benchmark S&P 500 avoided correction territory ‒ defined as at least a 10% decline from a recent high ‒ and ended the day down 0.76% at 5,572.07 points, up from a daily low of 5,528.41. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 1.14%, while the Nasdaq composite fell 0.18%. Investment strategists told USA TODAY that the recent dip is no reason for Americans with retirement accounts such as 401(k)s...

March 12, 2025
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