October 2020

US. How to start defusing NYC’s pension bomb

Gotham’s public-health crisis risks becoming a financial crisis — including by ravaging the underfunded retirement systems promised to public workers. Four essential steps could avert catastrophe. Even before the crisis, the city had set aside just 2 percent of the savings needed to cover retiree health benefits for city workers, while its pension funds contained only 79 cents for every dollar needed to cover projected benefits. These fringe benefits consumed one-third of the city’s municipal payroll and one-tenth of...

US. Apollo Clients Await Inquiry’s Findings on Chief and Jeffrey Epstein

Leon Black helped start Apollo Global Management three decades ago out of the ashes of a junk-bond scandal and built a $400 billion private-equity powerhouse, handling the investments of institutions around the globe, from public pension systems in California to sovereign wealth funds controlled by foreign governments. But now some of his clients are asking pointed questions about his judgment, as his association with a notorious sex offender threatens to cloud his future. In the past two weeks —...

South Africa. Lockdown forced many to dip into retirement savings to make ends meet – report

Nompu Sizela: Investment manager 10X released its third iteration of the Retirement Reality Report. Previous reports have highlighted the fact that the vast majority of working South Africans are not putting themselves in a position where they’ll be able to retire comfortably. And this year, with the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the outlook has further worsened. Read also Pension fund of S.Africa’s Eskom to invest $170 mln in U.S. projects Well, to tell us more I’m joined on the...

US. State Liability Burdens Fall to 5%; Five States Top 20% Driven by Pensions

Fitch Ratings-New York-26 October 2020: Long-term liabilities burdens fell for a fourth straight year for U.S. states and hit a notable threshold last fiscal year, according to Fitch Ratings in its latest annual survey of state direct debt and pension liabilities. Read also US. Most Workers Believe COVID-19 Will Affect Their Retirement Planning Long-term liabilities relative to personal income declined to 5% in fiscal 2019, from 6% in fiscal 2016. "The downward trend does not necessarily reflect an enduring...

South Korea pension fund to oppose LG Chem’s battery split-off plan

It cited concerns about damage to shareholder value, including the possibility of diluting the equity value. LG Chem said in a statement that it very much regrets that NPS opposes the plan when most domestic and foreign proxy advisers including Institutional Shareholder Services back it, adding it will actively communicate with shareholders. "Although NPS is the second-largest shareholder of LG Chem...it is likely that dissenting votes would have little impact as most proxy advisers have recommended endorsement of...

US. IRS Announces 2021 Retirement Plan Contribution Limits For 401(k)s And More

How much can you save for retirement in 2021 in tax-advantaged accounts? How does $58,000 sound? The Treasury Department has announced inflation-adjusted figures for retirement account savings for 2021. The basic salary deferral amount for 401(k) and similar workplace plans remains flat at $19,500; the $6,500 catch-up amount if you’re 50 or older also remains the same; but the overall limit for these plans goes up from $57,000 to $58,000 in 2021. That helps workers whose employers allow...

UK pension funds to boost renewables, survey finds

Pension funds in the UK are set to increase their investments in renewable energy as the sector draws investors with attractive returns, says a survey of 50 pension fund investors by Pureprofile and real estate investment firm Alpha Real Capital. The survey found that nearly 70% of pension funds plan to increase their allocations to renewables over the next five years, while 10% expect to cut their positions. Some 74% of pension funds surveyed already invest in the...

Chileans vote to change their constitution in hopes of better pensions and socioeconomic equality

Chileans have overwhelmingly voted to rewrite the South American country's dictatorship-era constitution, which its critics see as favouring deep levels of socioeconomic inequality that fuelled a wave of violent protests in 2019 and 2020. With 90.78 per cent of polling stations counted, 78.24 per cent voted in favour of a new constitution, while 21.76 voted against, according to figures released by the Electoral Service on Sunday night, (Monday AEDT). Read also Jamaica. Alternative investments a must for the modern...

Jamaica. Alternative investments a must for the modern portfolio

Alternative investments have been creating quite a buzz in the financial market as investors contend with the effects of a global pandemic, geopolitical risks, and the resulting impact on the performance of traditional assets such as stocks and bonds. This roller coaster experience in traditional asset prices caused by the aforementioned factors is expected to become the new normal but has negative implications for long-term financial goals. As a result, the search for investments in assets in non-traditional spaces, which...

Young people in the UK expect to retire before turning 64

On average, young people between the ages of 18 and 34, expect to retire at the age of 63 and eight months, while one in eight are looking to retire by 55, new data has shown. A survey by Opinium for investment platform Hargreaves Lansdown said that in contrast, those over 55 expect to retire on average at 67 and 11 months, with 20% aiming to stop work after 70. The current average age of retirement in the UK...