March 2022
02Mar

From Japan to the US, sanctions threaten top pension funds’ Russia assets

Norway’s announcement it would divest its sovereign wealth fund’s Russian holdings – totalling $2.8 billion as of end-December – as a consequence of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has raised the prospect that other state-backed pension funds might follow their governments’ cues and offload assets en masse. Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) – the largest in the world by assets – had ¥213.1 billion ($1.9 billion) in exposures to Russia as of end-March 2021. Read more @Risk 343 views

March 2, 2022
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02Mar

UK firms rush to dump Russian assets amid efforts to isolate Moscow

British firms are scrambling to dump Russian assets amid efforts by the US, EU and UK governments to deepen Moscow’s economic isolation after the invasion of Ukraine. Read also More U.K., European investors move away from Russia Legal & General, Abrdn and state-backed pension scheme Nest have said they will try to sell their holdings in Russian stocks, while British Gas owner Centrica on Tuesday became the third big British energy firm to cut ties with Russia within a week, echoing...

March 2, 2022
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02Mar

US. NYPD pension fund to divest $42M of Russian-issued securities investments

New York City’s Police Pension fund will divest its securities investments issued by Russian companies, following a slew of state and federal sanctions boycotting Vladimir Putin’s military invasion of Ukraine. The fund’s trustees – which include Mayor Eric Adams, city Comptroller Brad Lander and NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell – voted Tuesday directing the comptroller to divest $42.2 million following a review of its public equity and fixed income investments in Russian businesses. Trustees wrote in the resolution passed that they’re “concerned...

March 2, 2022
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01Mar

U.S. funds reviewing next steps in light of sanctions against Russia

Federal mandates for sanctioning Russian financial institutions are prompting several U.S. public pension funds to assess their portfolios. Brad Lander, New York City Comptroller and fiduciary of the $266.7 billion New York City Retirement Systems, said in a statement Monday that while the system's five pension funds make individual investment decisions, including those related to divestment, he plans to present to trustees a list of assets to consider divesting. Read also US. NYPD pension fund to divest $42M of Russian-issued securities...

March 1, 2022
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01Mar

Kenya. Pension sector outlook positive despite election uncertainties

Kenya’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth has a history of slackening during election years. During this period, fund managers and individuals put investment decisions on hold pending a return to normalcy in the political scene. The extremity of the December 2007 elections, which sunk growth to 0.23 per cent in 2008 from 6.85 per cent a year earlier, stretched the speculation on political risk for subsequent years. In 2013, GDP decelerated to 3.80 per cent from 4.57 per cent while...

March 1, 2022
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01Mar

Hungarian pension funds made record income from insurance premiums

Pension funds made record income from insurance premiums, not to mention health care funds, which didn’t deny refunds to their families from their payments. It can be said that a win-win situation has developed in the fund sector, according to the latest data of Magyar Nemzeti Bank (MNB), more payments have been made to fund accounts than ever before. Voluntary pension funds closed a successful final quarter that had been unprecedented for at least a decade and a half. The multi-year...

March 1, 2022
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February 2022
28Feb

U.S. asset owners react, mull responses to Ukraine invasion

U.S. asset owners, their supervisors, and state legislative bodies are grappling with the impact of Thursday's Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In Illinois, state Rep. Jim Durkin announced Thursday he would introduce legislation that would require the state's five pension funds to divest from any holdings in Russian companies. "This morning, we woke up to shocking images crossing our TV screens. People in cities throughout Ukraine huddled in subways and shelters while explosions shake their cities as Russian soldiers begin an invasion...

February 28, 2022
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28Feb

Retirement age to be progressively raised in China

This is the government’s first step in gradually raising the retirement age under its five-year plan through 2025, with other provinces expected to follow suit later. As Jiangsu calculates pensions partly based on how long each individual has worked, those who choose to defer could end up with higher monthly payments when they retire. Read also Hungarian pension funds made record income from insurance premiums Amid staunch opposition against a blanket increase in retirement age, the province has opted for a voluntary...

February 28, 2022
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28Feb

Nigeria. Stakeholders advocate micro pension to secure financial future

The Pension Fund Operators Association of Nigeria have urged those in the informal sector to embrace micro pension as a means of securing their future financially. The Chief Executive Officer of the Association, Mr. Oguche Agudah made the call at the maiden Retreat and Unveiling of Magazine, THE PENSIONER for the Pension Correspondents Association of Nigeria in Abuja. Mr. Agudah said Contributory Pension Scheme should be embraced by all, because of its flexibility and safety of funds as it was a...

February 28, 2022
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28Feb

Owning a Dog Could be Key to “Succesful Aging”- Study

Every dog owner knows and sometimes bemoans the daily ritual of taking your pup out for a walk. But as it turns out, those strolls around the block with Fido may be the key to a healthy life, especially as we get older. A study published Wednesday in the journal PLOS ONE examines the relationship between pet ownership, disability, and death among seniors in Japan, providing new insights into the connection between dog ownership and successful aging. The researchers discovered dog...

February 28, 2022
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