February 2019

Cybersecurity risks

Data breaches created some of 2018’s biggest, most immediate scare stories for the general public. Facebook’s revelation in the spring that the personal information of at least 87 million users had been shared was just one of the standout examples. Asia, as it happens, went one better, with January’s disclosure that the personal information of every single one of the 1.1 billion-plus registrants for India’s Aadhaar unique identity number was up for sale. In this kind of environment, who...

Crypto Institutional Herd: University Of Michigan Looks To Bolster Blockchain Investment

Mike Novogratz, the chief executive of blockchain startup Galaxy Digital, recently remarked that institutions are “slow to move” when it comes to crypto assets. Yet, this doesn’t seem to be the case. According to an exclusive report from Bloomberg, the University of Michigan’s $12 billion endowment intends to siphon more of its funds into crypto-centric funds in the near future, in spite of the dramatic slump in the Bitcoin price. $12 Billion University Endowment Looks To Double-Down On Blockchain...

Pensions manager opens Uganda office

Local pensions manager Enwealth has started operations in Uganda where the firm plans to tap into the underserved small and medium enterprises (SME) sector. Following licensing by the Uganda Retirement Benefits Regulatory Authority (URBRA), the Kenyan company now joins nine other pension administrators serving the country's population. The firm’s expansion drives comes in the wake of ongoing reform agenda to liberalise the pensions sector in Uganda and broaden the coverage of pension schemes in the neighbouring country. Currently only...

Canada: Using benefits, pension programs to maximize CSR policies

Though the term ‘corporate social responsibility’ varies across companies and countries, it’s generally considered to be a form of organizational self-regulation focusing on an employer’s approach to sustainability across a variety of topics, such as environmental efforts, human rights, corporate governance, health and safety and economic development. Unilever’s sustainable living plan sets out ambitious targets for its environmental footprint and social impact, with two pillars focused on the health and well-being of its employees and its customers. “The first...

Brasil. Reforma de pensiones de Bolsonaro es muy parecida a la de Temer, afirman economistas brasileños

La reforma a la seguridad social y de pensiones enviada hoy por el gobierno brasileño al Congreso es prácticamente igual que la que pretendía enviar hace dos años el entonces presidente Michel Temer, aunque por falta de apoyo parlamentario para aprobarla se echó para atrás, afirmaron expertos a Xinhua. Considerada clave para sanear las maltrechas cuentas públicas brasileñas, la reforma enviada hoy al Congreso prevé una edad mínima de jubilación de 65 años para hombres y de 62 para...

España. Los fondos de inversión españoles son los peores de toda Europa

Los fondos de inversión españoles salen muy mal parados cuando se comparan con sus rivales europeos. De acuerdo con un informe de la firma Morningstar, los fondos registrados en España son los peores de las 20 jurisdicciones monitorizadas en el Viejo Continente (18 Estados y dos paraísos fiscales). Las gestoras nacionales están en el furgón de cola con productos mediocres y comisiones altas. Los expertos de Morningstar utilizan varias métricas para comparar fondos. Una de ellas es analizar qué...

Un 37 % de los japoneses piensa trabajar pasados los 66 años: la pensión no alcanza

Un estudio sobre los planes de vida en la vejez y el sistema de pensiones públicas realizado por la Oficina del Gabinete revela que un 37,6 % de los encuestados piensa seguir trabajando pasados los 66 años. Una esperanza de vida cada vez mayor y el declive en el número de nacimientos, con la consiguiente reducción del fondo de pensiones, hacen que el sueño de disfrutar de una merecida jubilación sea inalcanzable para algunas personas. La encuesta fue realizada...

Brazil’s pension reform to save $270bn in 10 years

Read alsoLatam FX firms, Brazilian stocks mount recoveryLatam FX weak, Brazil’s real drops ahead of pension reform plans Stocks in Brazil steadied on Wednesday as market focus remained on the government's proposal for pension reform, which is aimed at helping curb the country's mounting fiscal deficit. Latin American currencies were mixed against a slightly softer dollar with investors waiting for the U.S. Federal Reserve's January policymaking minutes expected later in the day. ...

South Africa. Grant for pensioners to increase to at least R1,780 monthly

Pensioners can again look forward to an inflation-linked increase in their social grants this year. The government spending on social grants will increase to R567 billion. The number of beneficiaries who receive social assistance from the state is expected to increase from 17.9 million to 18.6 million over the next three years. Old-age pensions will increase by R85 this year to R1,780 monthly. Pensioners over the age of 75 will receive a monthly pension of R1,800. The foster care...

Putting workers before investors makes DB schemes affordable

Companies would be able to afford defined benefit schemes if their bosses were forced to pay into them before they pay out to shareholders, new research showed. According to a study from Sun Yat-sen University, Exeter University and Lancaster University Management School – which examined around 1,655 companies from 2003 to 2011 - incentivising executives to fund their pension schemes was more likely to see the schemes survive than threatening bosses with prison sentences. Amber Rudd, secretary for work...