July 2021
09Jul

Hong Kong’s pension fund posts 4.5 per cent investment gain in first half, but policy and regulatory challenges lie ahead

Hongkongers probably earned the most returns in two years from their US$154 billion pension scheme in the first half of this year from a rally in global stocks. These winnings could be eroded by policy tightening in the US and a tech sector crackdown at home by China. Read also ESG: Fad or Future? The Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) generated HK$52.6 billion (US$6.8 billion) of investment income in the January to June period, according to calculations by the Post based on...

July 9, 2021
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08Jul

The EU’s new green plan to achieve carbon neutrality

The European Commission revealed a new green financial plan on July 6 to meet its 2030 goal of cutting emissions by 55% across EU member states. The European Union body will need to raise €350 billion ($414 billion) a year to promote the use of natural gas over coal for power generation and push financial institutions to go green. Achieving the 55% cut in emissions will be a major step toward achieving carbon neutrality by the middle of the...

July 8, 2021
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06Jul

Asset owners managing US$6 trillion call for global carbon price

Investors managing more than US$6 trillion in assets on Tuesday (Jul 6) called for a coordinated global price on carbon and said emissions costs would need to almost treble by 2030 to reach the world's climate goals. The call by The Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance, whose 43 members include some of the world's biggest pension schemes and insurers, comes ahead of the next round of global climate talks in November. Currently, 64 carbon pricing instruments such as emissions trading schemes...

July 6, 2021
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06Jul

UK. Nearly a third of Gen Xers have inadequate pension savings

Almost one in three Generation Xers — individuals aged between 41 and 56 — have inadequate pension savings and face a minimum-at-best standard of living in retirement, according to research by the International Longevity Centre and Standard Life. The ILC’s ‘Slipping between the cracks’ report found that 60 per cent of Gen Xers in a defined contribution scheme are not contributing enough for financial security or flexibility later in life, while 59 per cent of those with insufficient savings lack...

July 6, 2021
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05Jul

Australia’s Biggest Pension Fund Posts Record Annual Return

Australia’s biggest pension fund notched a record return in fiscal 2021 as strong market performance in the wake of the pandemic lifted assets under management. Read also US. Do You Get Your Money’s Worth From Buying An Annuity? AustralianSuper Pty.’s default investment option returned 20.43% in the 12 months ended June 30, the 12th consecutive year of gains, the fund said in a statement Monday. The Melbourne-based fund’s assets under management rose to A$225 billion ($169 billion) from A$180 billion a...

July 5, 2021
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02Jul

World’s Top Pension Fund Books ‘Historic’ $339 Billion Gain

The world’s biggest pension fund posted a record return for the fiscal year ended March, boosting its assets to a new high and beating its benchmark for the first time in seven years. Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund booked a gain on its investments of 25%, or 37.8 trillion yen ($339 billion), in the 12 months ended March, the most since the fund started managing the nation’s pension reserves in 2001. Overseas stocks were its best-performing asset in the period, returning...

July 2, 2021
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June 2021
21Jun

UK. Pensions commits to net zero by 2050

Pensions has committed to net zero emissions by 2050 by overhauling its investment strategy. The new strategy will see members’ savings invested in an equity fund which invests in companies that have lower carbon footprints. It will include investing in sustainable bonds and sustainable equities to at least 50 per cent of the portfolio’s net asset value by the end of 2021. The pensions provider says the changes come after an overhaul of the trust’s investment strategy in order to integrate ESG...

June 21, 2021
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18Jun

Canada. The Public Sector Pension Investment Board Gains 18.4% in FY2021

The Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments) on Wednesday reported that it gained 18.4% in its most recent fiscal year ending in March, thanks to the recovery in the capital markets after the downturn last year. The Canadian allocator, based in Ottawa, grew to C$204.5 billion (US$166.6 billion) in net assets under management, up 20.4% from C$169.8 billion from the prior fiscal year, the fund disclosed. This past fiscal year wasn’t an easy one, the fund’s top official reflected. “Our...

June 18, 2021
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18Jun

UK. Why investment pathways matter more than you think

The FCA launched its Retirement Outcomes Review in 2016 to check how the market was developing after the introduction of pension freedoms and address any signs of consumer harm. It found many who chose to draw down pension savings without taking regulated advice were losing out on retirement income because their pension pots were invested in cash, even though they didn’t intend to spend it in the short term. Two consultations were issued as a result of the review. First, CP18/17,...

June 18, 2021
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16Jun

​Pension investors press companies over Myanmar human rights risks

Swedish pension fund AP7, the Dutch architects’ pension fund, Velliv and other European pension funds have signed a joint declaration urging companies with business in Myanmar to take action, given the risk of human rights violations under the military dictatorship. Led by Norwegian asset manager Storebrand and three other organisations, the declaration called on firms to map their activities in Myanmar in this regard, and use their leverage in support of human rights – among other things. Kamil Zabielski, head of...

June 16, 2021
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