May 2020

Allianz pension report 2020 the silver swan

By Allianz Even before the Covid-19 outbreak, societies were becoming more and more fragmented over several social fault lines: culture, education, wealth, place of residence. Many of these overlap: The cosmopolitan, well-educated, wealthy people live in (big) cities, whereas more conservative, low-skilled workers tend to live in the periphery. There is, however, one important social fault line that cuts through all these identities: the generation gap. With demographic and climate change (and now the coronavirus pandemic), the generational...

Golden Aging: Prospects for Healthy, Active and Prosperous Aging in Europe and Central Asia

By Maurizio Bussolo, Johannes Koettl & Emily Sinnott The Europe and Central Asia region has among the oldest populations in the world. Europe, in particular, is approaching the end of a demographic transition toward population stabilization, and Central Asia, although still younger, is following quickly. Aging in Europe and Central Asia is different from that in Western Europe and East Asia in that populations are aging, while people are not necessarily living longer. The rise in the average age is largely attributable to...

India. Lack of social security for women in informal economy needs to be addressed

It was in the middle of the second lockdown. Ayeshaben, a home-based garment worker suddenly experienced chest pain. Her son, Asif, a tailor, requested one of his customers to take his mother in his rickshaw to the hospital. Thankfully, Ayeshaben has been taking insurance cover with SEWA’s insurance cooperative, VimoSEWA, for the last 15 years. Her claim of Rs 5,000 was processed online after Asif sent all her documents via WhatsApp. There are millions of Ayeshabens in this country....

India. World Bank to provide $1 billion loan for social protection

After healthcare, the World Bank on Friday said it had cleared a $1 billion assistance for social protection and is in talks with the government for funding initiatives to assist micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). World Bank country director Junaid Ahmad did not elaborate on the size of the loans for MSMEs, saying they were being negotiated. Read also Covid-19 impact: Global pension funds pause India investment He, however, complimented the government’s approach, focusing on healthcare, social protection and...

Covid-19 impact: Global pension funds pause India investment

Top global pension funds have suspended India investment plans until they come to grips with the damage Covid-19 does to global and local economies, and their portfolios stabilise amid extreme market volatility and uncertainty. Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP), Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), Australian Super and Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec (CDPQ), among others, had slated billions of dollars in India directly, via private equity (PE) or other funds, but have either put plans on...

S. Korea’s NPS joins int’l buyout of Portuguese toll roads operator Brisa

South Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS) joined Dutch pension manager APG Asset Management and Swiss Life Asset Managers for multi-billion dollar acquisition of a combined 81.1 percent stake in Portugal’s leading toll roads operator Brisa – Auto-Estradas de Portugal (Brisa). The consortium in the biggest-ever Portuguese buyout amidst an ongoing virus pandemic will assume 40.55 percent from London-based Arcus European Infrastructure Fund 1 (Arcus) and another 40.55 percent from Portuguese conglomerate Jose de Mello Group (JdM), according to...

S. Korea’s NPS joins int’l buyout of Portuguese toll roads operator Brisa

South Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS) joined Dutch pension manager APG Asset Management and Swiss Life Asset Managers for multi-billion dollar acquisition of a combined 81.1 percent stake in Portugal’s leading toll roads operator Brisa – Auto-Estradas de Portugal (Brisa). The consortium in the biggest-ever Portuguese buyout amidst an ongoing virus pandemic will assume 40.55 percent from London-based Arcus European Infrastructure Fund 1 (Arcus) and another 40.55 percent from Portuguese conglomerate Jose de Mello Group (JdM), according to industry...

Costs and Potential Funding of Expanded Public Pension Coverage in Asia

By Peter Morgan, Long Q. Trinh Public pension burdens in most emerging Asian economies are still relatively small. However, there are a number of reasons to believe that they will increase markedly in the coming years. First, many Asian economies will face rapidly ageing populations, which will raise pension and other old‐age‐related spending dramatically. Second, as economies develop, political pressures to expand the coverage of public pensions and raise pension benefits will likely increase. The first objective of this...

April 2020

Japan’s GPIF Seeking Active and Passive Managers for Foreign Bonds

The Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) in Japan is aggressively seeking active and passive managers of foreign bonds to diversify its portfolio beyond low-paying Japanese bonds. The world’s largest pension fund is seeking broad asset managers with access to various benchmarks, such as corporate high yield indexes, emerging market indices, and aggregate indexes, the GPIF said. On Monday, the pension fund also said it is considering appointing a new fund of fund (FoF) manager for infrastructure assets in emerging...

Japan’s GPIF Seeking Active and Passive Managers for Foreign Bonds

The Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) in Japan is aggressively seeking active and passive managers of foreign bonds to diversify its portfolio beyond low-paying Japanese bonds. The world’s largest pension fund is seeking broad asset managers with access to various benchmarks, such as corporate high yield indexes, emerging market indices, and aggregate indexes, the GPIF said. On Monday, the pension fund also said it is considering appointing a new fund of fund (FoF) manager for infrastructure assets...