April 2023

U.K. extends pensions funds’ clearing obligation exemption for 2 more years

His Majesty's Treasury said it will exempt U.K. pension funds from the clearing obligation for an additional two years. Under the European Union's European Markets Infrastructure Regulation pension funds in Europe have until June 18 before they are obligated to clear derivatives. Under the rules of EMIR, all counterparties trading in the European Union are required to post cash, rather than bonds, as the collateral to clear derivatives' exposures. This could mean they have to liquidate otherwise long-term fixed-income investments if...

Modern slavery audits in supply chains subpar for investors

Institutional investors have become more aware of the risks of modern slavery in their portfolio companies’ supply chains, but detecting labor issues is an uphill battle as companies chase profits and the industry lacks skills to detect labor issues. In emerging Asia, where the bulk of supply chain companies are located, regulations are not yet at a level where they’re an effective deterrent, sources said. According to the United Nations, modern slavery refers to “situations of exploitation that a person cannot...

Perú. Pensión para jubilados: MEF propone unificar pensiones y subvencionar parte de ellos

El ministro de Economía y Finanzas, Alex Contreras, señaló el último miércoles que el MEF planteará la unificación de los diversos regímenes del Sistema Nacional de Pensiones (SNP). Si bien esa cartera no tiene una propuesta final para la reforma del sistema de pensiones, apunta a que todos los peruanos tengan pensión. “Como han señalado muchos congresistas, no puede haber dentro del Estado regímenes tan heterogéneos y tan desiguales. Como parte de la reforma del sistema de pensiones, vamos a...

Chile. Oficialismo critica propuesta de Chile Vamos en torno al 6% de cotización adicional

Desde el oficialismo presentaron sus apreciaciones a la propuesta previsional de Chile Vamos, principalmente sobre el 6% de cotización adicional. "Tienen que transparentar sus cifras porque lo que hoy día pretenden hacer con el 6%, ganan las AFP y pierden las afiliadas y afiliado", indicó el diputado Andrés Giordano (IND). Diputados de oficialismo se refirieron a la propuesta de reforma previsional de Chile Vamos, luego que decidieran restarse de la mesa técnica de pensiones del gobierno. Este viernes la coalición de...

Who spends the longest time in retirement?

This article was first published on 19 February 2020 and was updated on 29 March 2023. Retirement lengths vary by country. There are now more people over the age of 65 than there are under the age of five. The World Economic Forum says pension savings must be incentivized to ensure better retirement outcomes. There are now more people over the age of 65 than there are under the age of five, a World Economic Forum report has found. As a result, there are...

‘Pensions have done more than most for ESG but it’s time for more action’

If the recent Treasury sub-committee on financial services regulations ("Greenwashing: sustainability disclosure requirements") is anything to go by, there remain far too many people in and around financial services who think we are doing a good job addressing sustainability challenges. We are not. Clients are confused, and despite pockets of excellence, sustainability challenges are getting worse not better. And neither of these will be addressed by investors sidelining real world problems or inciting ambulance chasing. Conflating welcome mass-market improvements, like entry level...

UK. DB pensions show resilience despite market turbulence

The PwC Buyout Index recorded a surplus of £120bn in March, with the drop in gilt yields driving a reduction of £40bn on the previous month. Meanwhile, the Low Reliance Index also continues to show a sizable surplus of £290bn. This index assumes schemes invest in low-risk, income-generating assets like bonds, meaning they are unlikely to call on the sponsor for further funding. The resilience of pension schemes to short term market shocks is something the Pensions Regulator (TPR) highlighted...

The Maximum Human Lifespan Will Rise Dramatically This Century, Researchers Say

Our ability to extend human lifespans is improving dramatically, but whether there is any natural limit to how far we can push is an outstanding question. New research contradicts claims that we’re approaching a maximum human lifespan. The question of whether or not there is a limit to how long humans can live has fascinated scientists for decades. While answering this question is likely to require a better understanding of the physiological process of aging, researchers have long tried to...

March 2023

México. Guillermo Zamarripa es nuevo presidente de la Amafore

La Asociación Mexicana de Administradoras de Fondos para el Retiro (Amafore) informó que Guillermo Zamarripa Escamilla será el nuevo presidente del gremio de las afores a partir del 10 abril. La Amafore detalló que Zamarripa Escamilla impulsará el fortalecimiento de la industria en beneficio de los trabajadores y fortalecerá su confianza en el sistema de ahorro para el retiro. En el mismo documento, Guillermo Zamarripa explicó que los fondos de pensiones han tenido un crecimiento importante en el mundo y las...

The cost of living

We first took evidence on the cost of living crisis in February 2022, when inflation was forecast to peak at 7.25% in April 2022. Since then, we have seen the invasion of Ukraine compound the difficult economic picture and inflationary pressure seen internationally and domestically after the COVID-19 pandemic, and inflation now looks set to top 11% in October—the highest in 40 years. However, the context for the cost of living crisis and its impact on the poorest in...