August 2022

U.S. public pensions suffer worst year since the financial crisis

An ugly start to the year for stocks and bonds has put a dent in the retirement plans of millions of state and local employees. U.S. public pension plans saw big losses during this year’s market rout, with median losses totaling 7.9% for the year ended June 30, according to data from institutional investment consultant Wilshire Associates. This marked worst annual performance — and first annual decline — for public retirement systems since 2009, according to Wilshire's data. Plans worth over $1...

February 2022

Australian market praised in latest pension study

Global pension fund assets have doubled in the last decade, with Australia's pension assets growing by 11.6% in 2021 and seeing it described as "the most successful pensions market". The latest Global Pension Assets Study from Willis Towers Watson's Thinking Ahead Institute shows global pension assets in the world's 22 largest markets now sit at US$56 trillion. This shows year-on-year growth of 6.9% in 2021. Interestingly, Australia has the largest growth rate of any country in the study over the past...

August 2021

UK pension funds commit to manager diversity

Some of the UK's biggest pension funds have committed to tackling the lack of diversity in funds management. The Asset Owner Diversity Working Group has launched the Asset Owner Diversity Charter, which aims to "build and investment industry which embodies a more balanced representation of diverse societies". "The charter reflects asset owners' aspirations to see diversity balance at all levels across financial services firms," the group said. "A balanced workforce is good for business - it is good for consumers, for profitability...