December 2023

U.S. pension funds heavily invested in China despite crackdown

U.S. proposals to clamp down on investments in China may be being undermined by continued funding from some of America's biggest institutional investors, new analysis shows. The majority of U.S. public pensions, as well certain universities and non-profit organizations, have committed funds to China and Hong Kong, including in sensitive technologies — some as recently as this year, according to a report by Future Union, a non-partisan trade organization. The 74 largest contributors have allocated more than $70 billion to companies...

UK. Over two thirds of savers unsure how to switch to a greener pension

While most Brits are well aware of how to reduce their carbon footprint through changing their behaviours, more than two thirds (67 per cent) don’t know how to switch to a ‘green pension’, research from Scottish Widows has revealed. Scottish Widows’ second annual Green Pensions Report found that there is growing appetite for responsible retirement savings propositions among employers and employees, with nearly three quarters (74 per cent) of savers expressing a keen interest in obtaining more information about sustainable options for...

UK’s PensionBee Comments on the Negative Impact of Greenwashing, Key ESG and Fintech Trends for 2024

PensionBee notes that in recent years, the spotlight has intensified “on the role of investments in the climate debate.” As most consumers would hopefully know by now, ‘ESG‘ stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance. This is a framework used to “measure a company’s sustainability, workforce and ethical practices.” Many companies have ESG ratings, which could “help consumers make informed choices.” It is well accepted that savings, “including pensions, can help shape a sustainable future.” Sustainable investing considers ESG factors “alongside financial returns.” It has gained popularity, but also “criticism...

BP pension nears deal to sell portfolio worth as much as $800m

The defined benefit pension scheme of one of the world’s largest oil and gas companies is close to offloading a portfolio of private market fund stakes, Secondaries Investor has learned. BP’s DB pension has been shopping a portfolio around $700 million to $800 million, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Campbell Lutyens is understood to be the adviser on the deal. The sale of the portfolio started in the second quarter of this year, according to the two sources. The...

Global Public Pensions 2023

By Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum The Global Public Pensions 2023 report explores how public pension and sovereign funds are building optimal investment strategies to address the uncertain economic environment and factor sustainability into their portfolios. The report draws on surveys, discussions, and written contributions from 22 global public funds across the world with combined assets under management of $4.3tn. These include the likes of Singapore’s GIC, Canada’s CDPQ, Australia’s Future Fund and India’s National Infrastructure Investment Fund. It...

How Higher Interest Rates Are Changing Focus of Fully Funded Pension Funds

Fully funded due to higher discount rates and investment performance, many corporate defined benefit pension funds are shifting their investment goals to maintaining that funding progress, from their prior focus of maximizing investment returns. While many have had significant assets dedicated to liability-driven investing in recent years, they are finding it is time to acknowledge the higher-yield, better-funding environment. As a result, a common approach among the cohort is to examine “overlap in plan holdings, inadequate hedging of liabilities and...

Japan’s SMBC pension fund explores boosting exposures to alternatives

Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) Pension Fund, managing assets worth 1 trillion yen ($6.6 billion), is poised to increase investments in illiquid alternatives, including infrastructure private equity and debt aimed at maximizing returns. Anticipating a shift in domestic interest rates with the expected exit of the Bank of Japan (BOJ) from its ultra-easy monetary policy, the pension fund is considering reassessing its longstanding strategy of investing Japanese government bonds (JGBs), which has comprised only about 1 per cent of...

Pension scheme consolidation expected to continue into 2024

The UK’s 5,000 corporate defined benefit (DB) pension schemes recorded a near record surplus of £245bn in November, according to PwC’s Buyout Index, showing that schemes continue to have sufficient assets on average to ‘buyout’ their pension promises. Meanwhile, PwC’s Low Reliance Index has had a record month with a surplus of £380bn. This index assumes schemes invest in low-risk, income-generating assets like bonds, which should mean the pension scheme is unlikely to call on the sponsor for further funding. As...

AI and pension funds: Is AI a safe bet for retirement investment?

Pension funds are in a perpetual crisis worldwide, with low demographic rates in many countries foreshadowing a dim future for such investments, combined with young people’s lack of faith in the continued existence of social security models. In order to stay afloat, many pension funds have strived to remain apprised of new investment opportunities, including cryptocurrencies. According to a 2022 study published by the CFA Institute, “94% of state and government-sponsored pension funds are invested in one or more cryptocurrencies.” But pension fund...

Almost a third of UK adults unaware of old pension pots

Almost a third of adults in the UK suspect that they may have a pension pot that they are either unaware of or have not considered before. Research carried out by Opinium for the fintech company Gretel found that 30 per cent of respondents believe they may be in the dark about some of their pension savings. Almost three in 10 UK adults also believe they have at least one lost or dormant investment vehicle, bank account, child trust fund or...