May 2025
09May

The Purple Book 2024. DB pensions universe risk profile

By Pension Protection Fund The Purple Book, also known as the Pensions Universe Risk Profile, highlights trends in DB scheme funding, demographics and asset allocation. It provides us with an in-depth understanding of the risks we face from the universe of schemes we protect. The 19th edition of the Purple Book shows the strong net funding position of the universe of DB pension schemes has remained largely stable over the past year. For this year’s Purple Book, we’ve used an enhanced roll-forward...

May 9, 2025
Books, Books, Reports, System Characterization, , , , ,
Read more...
09May

Beyond the Bottom Line: How ESG Engagement Reshapes Pension Fund Strategy

By Allen Mendenhall & Daniel Sutter The study suggests that pension funds have developed methods to advance ESG objectives without significantly changing their investment portfolios. This approach enables them to influence corporate behavior while maintaining financial positions. However, all pensions and investors may suffer reduced returns when activism undermines value-creating investment. Pension systems that merely engage, rather than divest, may not underperform compared to other funds, but their tactics allow government-backed entities to exert extraordinary influence without sufficient accountability or...

May 9, 2025
Articles, Investment, , , ,
Read more...
09May

One of the Largest Teacher Pension Funds in the U.S. Sold Nvidia, Tesla, and Apple and Piled Into a Popular Pharmaceutical Stock Up 395% Over the Last 5 Years

With the second quarter of 2025 now over a month old, many investment funds will soon begin disclosing what stocks they held at the end of the first quarter, essentially providing investors a glimpse of what they bought and sold. It's a particularly interesting time to see how large institutional funds invested early in the year, given all of the volatility. First-quarter filings won't show what the market did in April, following President Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" announcement on April...

May 9, 2025
News, Slider,
Read more...
08May

UK. Pension savers urged not to panic despite potential impact of volatility on DC savings

Defined contribution (DC) pension savers could see their potential retirement income fall by up to 20 per cent as a result of market volatility seen following the introduction of US tariffs, although those in defined benefit (DB) schemes are unlikely to be affected, research from the Society of Pension Professionals has revealed. The SPP acknowledged that, in the wake of US President, Donald Trump, announcing new import taxes on goods from almost every country, the economic turbulence felt across the...

May 8, 2025
News, Slider, , ,
Read more...
07May

New buyout strategy for pension funds?

There is a wrinkle developing in the overall theme of depressed buyout markets, and especially difficult exit conditions. And it’s hardly a positive one. According to news reports, leading pension funds which used to be stalwart independent executors of buyout transactions are now pulling back from direct investment and pursuing more partnership deals with buyout firms. Higher borrowing costs have also reduced the allure of direct investment deals. Canada’s Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec has already launched a strategic...

May 7, 2025
News, Slider, ,
Read more...
06May

UK. DB pension schemes pulling ahead of sponsors on ESG progress

Defined benefit (DB) pension schemes are pulling ahead of scheme sponsors when it comes to making progress on environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations, research from LawDeb has revealed. The survey showed that both DB pension schemes and the sponsoring businesses behind them are relatively aligned in some key areas, as just over a third (34 per cent) of finance leaders surveyed think both the scheme and business are leaders in diversity ambitions. However, around the same number (32 per cent)...

May 6, 2025
News, Slider, ,
Read more...
06May

Ghanaian PE, securities, pensions industry leaders sign compact to mobilise domestic capital

The Ghana Venture Capital & Private Equity Association (GVCA), one of Africa’s foremost VC industry associations, has launched an industry-wide “Compact” that champions local institutional asset allocations to venture capital and private equity. Founded in 2021, the Ghana Venture Capital Association (GVCA) acts as a key connector within Ghana’s private investment ecosystem, linking asset allocators, institutional investors, fund managers, portfolio companies, advisors, and service providers. Its growing membership consists of firms, including venture capital and private equity companies, institutional investors, and...

May 6, 2025
News, Slider, ,
Read more...

April 2025
30Apr

Longevity v interest rates – which poses the biggest risk for schemes?

Rising life expectancy poses a greater risk to UK corporate pension schemes than low interest rates, a report this week has suggested, but some industry experts have challenged the finding. Low interest rates have wreaked havoc on many schemes’ funding levels as liability calculations are revised up. Earlier this month the aggregate deficit of the Pension Protection Fund’s 7800 Index reached £254.2bn, up from £93.2bn a year ago. The cost of not hedging longevity in a low interest rate environment is proportionately greater...

April 30, 2025
News, Slider, , , ,
Read more...
29Apr

Economic volatility & tariff turmoil will elevate pension funds desire to diversify

In an increasingly volatile and uncertain financial world where the investment landscape has been exposed to unpredictable shocks, pension funds have been among the most affected by equity market declines and this is expected to further heighten the desire to diversify their asset portfolios. Stock market indices across major economies have fallen in the wake of the introduction of the United States administration’s tariff policy. While tariff amounts have been rolled back in some cases, or put on hold, with countries...

April 29, 2025
News, Slider,
Read more...
25Apr

The future of pensions and retail investment in the EU

By Maximilian Bierbaum & Sheenam Singhal In the debate on the future of capital markets in Europe, widening retirement saving and widening retail investment are the potential missing link. But there is a danger that by dealing with the two topics in isolation, EU policymakers will miss the bigger picture. We think this needs to change. Neither pensions nor more retail investment can solve this problem on their own. To really move the dial, we need both – and there...

April 25, 2025
Books, Books, Investment, Reports, , ,
Read more...