November 2024
20Nov

South Africans Withdraw $1.94 Billion From Pensions

South Africans have withdrawn 35.1 billion rand ($1.94 billion) from retirement funds since new laws came into effect three months ago giving them early access to part of their savings. The figure is higher than the amount the National Treasury forecast savers would tap after the implementation of a so-called two-pot pension system on Sept. 1. South Africa’s central bank has said that a high-withdrawal scenario may help boost the country’s economic growth rate by as much as 0.3 percentage...

November 20, 2024
News,
Read more...
20Nov

Healthy New Town: Revitalizing neighborhoods in the wake of aging populations

Planned suburban residential neighborhoods in metropolitan areas known as new towns were initially developed in England. The new town movement spread from Europe to East Asia, such as to Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore. In Japan alone, 2,903 New Towns were built, but many experienced rapid population decline and aging in the 40 years after their development. Therefore, they changed into old new towns and had to transform their facilities. Dr. Haruka Kato, a junior associate professor at...

November 20, 2024
News,
Read more...
20Nov

‘Golden Girls’ no more: How America’s concept of old age became outdated

The idea of retirement is losing its luster The stereotype of retirement as a time to play golf, travel and relax is a relatively new concept in American history. But by now, even that idea is outdated as more older adults work longer and grapple with the need for purpose in their older years. Also, with people living longer and healthier, there may be several chapters in their lives to pursue different jobs, vocations and hobbies. In the new book, "Golden...

November 20, 2024
News,
Read more...
20Nov

CPPIB Leads Global Pension Funds With $144B Allocated to Private Equity

The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board made the largest allocation to private equity of any pension fund during the first 10 months of the year, with $143.86 billion—which made up 24.6% of its portfolio—allocated to the asset class, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence data. The 20 pension funds with the largest allocations have committed a combined $707.6 billion to private equity, through the end of October The California Public Employees’ Retirement System was a distant second with $83.5 billion—16% of...

November 20, 2024
News,
Read more...
19Nov

US. Strategic insights from pension funds – Global Investor Insights Survey

The Schroders Global Investor Insights Survey highlights pivotal shifts in pension fund investment strategies across US$13 trillion in assets. Nearly all respondents (94%) are either invested in or moving into private markets especially in areas like private debt, private equity, and renewable infrastructure – as pension funds seek long-term opportunities aligned with the energy transition and technological innovation. Indeed, the energy transition is a top priority for pension funds worldwide, with 93% of respondents already investing or planning to soon. The demand for...

November 19, 2024
News, Uncategorized,
Read more...
19Nov

Ghana blocks pension funds from offshore investment on currency concerns, sources say

Ghana is clamping down on private pension fund managers who want to invest in offshore assets on concerns it could worsen pressure on its cedi currency, three industry sources told Reuters. After pension reforms in 2010, workers' retirement contributions in the world's number two cocoa producer enjoyed strong growth, buoyed by a tiered scheme that allow private firms to manage some contributions. Assets under management by the pension fund industry were 78.2 billion Ghanaian cedis ($4.93 billion) in June, of which...

November 19, 2024
News, ,
Read more...
19Nov

N.Y. State Common Retirement Fund makes $4.6 billion in alternative investment commitments

The New York State Common Retirement Fund, Albany, has made 15 commitments totaling $4.6 billion to alternative investments, according to a notice posted on the website of Thomas P. DiNapoli, the state comptroller and sole trustee of the $267.7 billion pension fund. All commitments were made in September. The pension fund made five opportunistic absolute return strategy commitments for a total of $1.8 billion. The commitments are: TPG Solutions (A), managed by TPG Capital, for $500 million. This fund “invests exclusively”...

November 19, 2024
News,
Read more...
19Nov

Danish pension fund targets Asian clean energy bets

By Hugo Cox   PensionDanmark, Denmark’s $51 billion pension fund, has identified clean energy solutions, including many in Asia, as its number one sustainability priority for 2025. It is aiming to build on existing direct allocations in the region, which include wind and solar projects in India, South Korea, Vietnam and Taiwan. “We are now heavily involved in green energy infrastructure development projects throughout the region," Jan Kæraa Rasmussen, head of ESG and sustainability at PensionDanmark in Copenhagen told AsianInvestor. "It’s a very important market...

November 19, 2024
News, OP Ed, Op-Ed, , , ,
Read more...
19Nov

Pension funds will have to invest more in UK assets under government plans

Pension funds will be ordered to invest more money into UK assets if changes announced last week by The Chancellor don’t see an increase in money flowing into Britain. Emma Reynolds, UK pensions minister, told the FT that while last week’s changes had avoided forcing pension funds to invest in British assets, such “mandation” would be considered if they don’t do enough. “We’re not talking about it for now, but let’s see where we get to,” Reynolds said, in an interview with...

November 19, 2024
News, ,
Read more...
15Nov

How Mexico’s reformed pension system is improving workers’ retirement security

Earlier this year, Mexico’s senate approved the creation of a new pension fund to help provide more retirement security for low-income citizens. The reform aims to ensure pensioners receive 100 per cent of their last monthly salary up to roughly 16,777 Mexican pesos (US$975), which is the average monthly wage for workers affiliated with the Mexican Social Security Institute. “Congress approved this change to the pension system, which basically established a new welfare pension fund,” says Pedro Trejo, retirement director at...

November 15, 2024
News, ,
Read more...