March 2023

Chinese cities are so broke, they’re cutting medical benefits for seniors

China's government, strapped for cash after years of enforcing a costly zero-Covid policy, is cutting medical benefits and planning to raise the retirement age, in deeply unpopular moves that are fueling widespread public anger. Thousands of elderly people have been taking to the streets since January to protest big cuts to monthly medical benefit payments. They've gathered in four major cities across the country, demanding local officials reverse the decisions. The changes are part of a national overhaul mainly intended to...

BlackRock calls on clients to rethink hedging strategy after UK pension crisis

BlackRock's liability-driven investment business is urging some smaller UK pension fund clients to stop splitting assets across multiple managers, as it tries to cut the complexity and risks of a strategy that imploded last year. Asset managers worry new rules to make LDI investing more robust could render the strategy unviable for some schemes, but consultants warn BlackRock's push could repel pension clients who want to minimise concentration risk. LDI, a hedging strategy used by thousands of schemes to ensure their...

Panorama de la industria de Afores y del Sistema de Ahorro en México en 2023

A pesar de los desafíos económicos a los que se ha enfrentado nuestro país, derivado de un contexto con diversas afectaciones globales, la industria de las Afores se ha consolidado como la principal fuente de ahorro para los trabajadores mexicanos y como un conducto de largo plazo para ofrecer rendimientos competitivos a los ahorradores; además de ser un factor clave para el crecimiento y desarrollo económico, a través de la inversión que realiza en una gran variedad de actividades...

Chile. Todos los multifondos de pensiones registraron pérdidas durante primer trimestre de 2023

Un informe de la consultora CIEDESS reveló las pérdidas que sufrieron los multifondos de pensiones en el primer semestre del 2023. Si bien el fondo D y E -los más conservadores- registraron una ganancia de 1.99% y 2.92% en marzo, respectivamente, durante este mismo mes los otros tres fondos (A, B y C) registraron caídas. Así, los fondos A y B, que son los de mayor riesgo en las administradoras de fondos previsionales, anotaron pérdidas de un 4,78% y 3,39%...

Colombia. ¿Qué pasa con las pensiones de las personas no binarias? Corte debate

Uno de los puntos que tiene la reforma pensional que propuso el Gobierno del Presidente Gustavo Petro está relacionado con una deuda social: la situación de las personas no binarias, es decir, aquellas que no se identifican con los géneros masculino y femenino. El articulado dice que a estas personas, como medida afirmativa, se les aplicará la menor edad que exige la ley, es decir, los 57 años. La definición de este asunto tiene un largo camino por recorrer en el...

República Dominicana. Candidato a la presidencia promete pensiones para todas las personas mayores de 60 años

El candidato a la presidencia por el Partido Generación de Servidores (GenS), Carlos Peña, se reunió con adultos mayores de esta provincia a quienes prometió pensiones dignas a su llegada al gobierno para retribuir su dedicación y aporte al crecimiento del país. El presidente de GenS conversó sobre su plan de gobierno y escuchó las necesidades de esta población vulnerable y desamparada por el Estado. Constató de manera personal que los habitantes de la zona viven en el olvido porque el...

US. Pension Risk Transfers Spiked in 2022 due to Higher Interest Rates, Report Shows

Rising interest rates drove increased pension risk transfer activity in 2022, as these transactions totaled $52 billion in premiums last year—the highest total in the decade Aon has been tracking the information, according to a recent report. A total of 568 pension risk transfer transactions were made last year, with IBM headlining this activity by completing a $16 billion retiree lift-out in September  2022. This was the second-largest PRT transaction in U.S. history, Aon’s U.S. Risk Transfer report for March...

UK. TPR launches diversity, equality and inclusion guidance for pension fund trustees

The Pensions Regulator (TPR) this week published guidance for pension scheme governing bodies and employers on equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) with a view to  imrpoving the EDI of UK pension schemes’ boards. Louise Davey, TPR’s director of regulatory policy, analysis and advice, said: “All savers deserve to be in a well-run pension scheme that makes decisions in their best interests.” She added: “Harnessing diverse views can help pension scheme governing bodies weigh issues in more detail and openly consider aspects...

Pension Spending Soars 10% To €12 Billion In March As Spain Takes On €6 Billion A Month In Debt

Social Security paid out €11,945.6 million in contributory pensions in February, 3 billion more than the 8,946.9 million in March 2018, a few months before Pedro Sánchez came to government. The average monthly retirement pension shot up from the €1,260 it stood at in December 2022 to €1,372 per month, up 9.7%. And since there were no differences by amount bracket, the maximum pension exceeded €3,000 per month for the first time. The average amount of new pension registrations in...

Kenya. MPs revive attempt to raise pension for former members

Parliament has revived a Bill rejected by former President Uhuru Kenyatta to increase pension for members who retired between 1984 and 2001. The Bill republished by Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa shows it will cost taxpayers an extra Sh180.9 million every year to keep former MPs who retired between July 1, 1984, and January 1, 2001, comfortable. The Budget and Appropriations Committee (BAC) heard that should the Parliamentary Pensions (Amendment) Bill 2022 sail through, the former legislators will earn a monthly pension...