September 2022
30Sep

Ghana. SSNIT pension scheme continues to post negative return on investments; records -12.6% return in quarter 1 – Report

The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) pension scheme continued to post a negative real rate of return, recording -12.6% at the end of the first quarter of this year. According to the Financial Stability Review report by the Bank of Ghana, assets available for benefits of the SSNIT-managed Basic National Social Security Scheme (BNSSS) dropped marginally by 2.3% to ¢11.28 billion in March 2022 from the ¢11.54 billion recorde in 2021 Quarter 4. Also, though the private pensions industry...

September 30, 2022
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30Sep

Pension Insurance Corporation Group Limited. Annual Report and Accounts 2021

By Pension Insurance Corporation Group Limited PIC is a specialist insurer which has become a leader in the UK pension risk transfer market by focusing on our purpose: to pay the pensions of our current and future policyholders. We aim to balance the interests of all our stakeholders – policyholders, employees, shareholders, regulators and others – with excellence in customer service at the heart of what we do. Source @PensionCorporation 489 views

September 30, 2022
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28Sep

UK pensions hit with £100m margin calls as gilts and sterling slide

At least three LDI managers request emergency capital as others consider unwinds to avoid default. UK pension funds have been hit with variation margin calls of as much as £100 million ($107 million) each, after sharp falls in gilts and sterling pushed mark-to-market valuations on derivatives and leveraged repo positions heavily against them. Simeon Willis, chief investment officer of consultancy XPS Pensions Group, says he knows of three different fund managers running pooled pension portfolios that have requested emergency capital...

September 28, 2022
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27Sep

Expert investors believe sustainable investing is most likely to drive long-term returns

This is among the sustainability-focused findings of Schroders’ Global Investor Study 2022, which have been revealed today. “Expert” investors are more likely to believe that investing sustainably is key to driving long-term returns compared with their peers who rate themselves as less knowledgeable, research by Schroders has found. The finding is from Schroders’ Global Investor Study 2022, the bellwether annual survey which highlights trends based on the answers and opinions of more than 23,000 investors in 33 locations. Data was...

September 27, 2022
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07Sep

Reducing portfolio volatility is top priority for European pension funds

European pension funds say reducing absolute portfolio volatility is their top risk management priority, as geopolitical tensions and high inflation continue to impact global investment markets. This is according to new research from Alpha Real Capital. Nearly half (46%) of European pension fund professionals interviewed, who collectively manage €324 billion in assets under management, say increasing portfolio diversification is their top strategic asset allocation priority. Meanwhile, more than a quarter (28%) of respondents say their priority is to increase expected...

September 7, 2022
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August 2022
30Aug

Vanguard moves a third of $25.4 billion high-yield fund in-house

Vanguard Group has shifted management of one-third of the assets of its Vanguard High-Yield Corporate Fund to its internal fixed-income group from Wellington Management, which will continue to manage the remaining two-thirds. The High-Yield Corporate Fund had $25.4 billion in total net assets as of July 31, according to Vanguard's website. Wellington previously managed the entire fund. Jessica Schifalacqua, a spokeswoman for Vanguard, said by email that the fixed-income group's "long-term and disciplined approach is a natural complement to Wellington Management...

August 30, 2022
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26Aug

Mercer’s Asia Retirement Survey Report

By Mercer Conducted over 2019 to 2021, this series leverages our client base across Asia, and aims to bring together common issues in retirement security that Asia business leaders, HR and Finance partners can take action on. In combination, we have surveyed views from more than 700 employers from all industries, with responsibility for the well-being of over 120,000 employees. Get the report here

August 26, 2022
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26Aug

US. Texas’s threat to boot BlackRock from pension funds forces corporations into can’t-win battle over ESG investing

Hi from Geneva, Switzerland. Peter Vanham here, filling in for Alan. I’m Fortune’s newly minted executive editor, responsible for the Connect learning platform. I’ll also be joining Alan in writing on corporate America’s turn to stakeholder capitalism and sustainable business practices. Speaking of which, in the latest backlash to ESG, Texas state comptroller Glenn Hegar yesterday listed BlackRock and nine other asset managers using ESG investing as “financial companies that boycott energy companies.” He warned BlackRock and Co. would be “subject...

August 26, 2022
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24Aug

Should Pension Funds ‘Invest’ in Crypto?

By John Rekenthaler My headline poses what seems to be a rhetorical query. Should pension funds risk other people’s money by buying volatile, poorly regulated assets? Obviously not. We therefore know how this column will proceed. Having erected this straw man, the author will triumphantly torch it in a blaze of self-righteousness. Such was my initial plan, after reading about pension funds with cryptocurrency-related losses. Houston Firefighters Relief and Retirement Fund invested $25 million in Bitcoin and Ethereum. The State of...

August 24, 2022
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23Aug

Australia’s Pensions Suffer Worst Year Since Financial Crisis

Australia’s pensions posted their worst annual performance since the global financial crisis as markets were roiled by central banks’ aggressive rate hikes and the war in Ukraine. Read also Should Pension Funds ‘Invest’ in Crypto? Guardians of the world’s fifth largest pension pot shed A$92.8 billion ($64 billion) on investments in the fiscal year through June 30, the biggest loss for the period since 2009, according to Australian Prudential Regulation Authority data released Tuesday. That saw the pool of savings fall...

August 23, 2022
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