February 2020

19Feb

South Africa. DA MP calls on Ramaphosa to break away from ANC

DA MP Geordin Hill-Lewis has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to part with factions in the ANC that were opposed to policy and structural reform, and to instead assemble a progressive coalition to govern South Africa. Hill-Lewis, in the parliamentary debate on Ramaphosa's state of the nation address (SONA), said the president had made so many unwise concessions in his bid to keep the ruling party united behind him that he seemed like a leader in retreat. Hence, he...

February 19, 2020
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18Feb

11 African fintech startups selected for CATAPULT programme

Eleven African fintech startups have been selected to take part in the 2020 edition of CATAPULT: Inclusion Africa, which helps companies focusing on financial inclusion to scale. Building on the success of its 2018 edition, CATAPULT: Inclusion Africa is developed by the LHoFT Foundation and targets companies focusing on financial inclusion in Africa. It aims to build bridges between Africa and Europe. It provides selected startups with access to a tailor made program with intensive mentoring, coaching, peer-to-peer learning...

February 18, 2020
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17Feb

‘India is ageing much faster than previously thought’

“India is ageing much faster than previously thought and is expected to have nearly 20% population of the world’s 60 years and above by 2050 with the largest number of older adults in the world,” said Prasun Chatterjee, Department of Geriatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). Speaking about his new book — Health and Well Being in Late Life — Dr. Chatterjee said: “Through my book, I have tried to help people look at this tremendous growth...

February 17, 2020
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15Feb

Ageing, Productivity and Employment Status

By Brindusa Anghel, Aitor Lacuesta The article analyses how labour market participation and the type of work performed change with age. Drawing on data from the OECD’s Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), it is documented that as people age they gradually lose certain skills relating to their ability to do physical work or use new technologies, or their literacy and numeracy skills. By contrast, as they build up experience, older workers develop better planning skills...

February 15, 2020
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15Feb

Target Date Funds and Portfolio Choice in 401(k) Plans

By Olivia S. Mitchell, Stephen P. Utkus Target date funds in corporate retirement plans grew from $5B in 2000 to $734B in 2018, partly because federal regulation sanctioned these as default investments in automatic enrollment plans. We show that adopters delegated pension investment decisions to fund managers selected by plan sponsors. Including these funds in retirement saving menus raised equity shares, boosted bond exposures, curtailed cash/company stock holdings, and reduced idiosyncratic risk. The adoption of low-cost target date funds...

February 15, 2020
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14Feb

Asia Hedge Funds Brace for Lean Times as Investors Stay Away

Asia-based hedge funds are bracing for a lean quarter of capital raising as the spread of the coronavirus leads to the postponement and cancellation of key events that have historically drawn Western investors to the region. London-headquartered Albourne Partners Ltd., a consultancy that advises pensions, university endowments and foundations that invest a combined $550 billion in alternative investments, including hedge funds, said it’s seen at least 10 of its clients cancel trips to Asia in coming weeks, according to...

February 14, 2020
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14Feb

Marketing To 100-Year-Olds: How Longevity Will Transform Finance, Healthcare And Education

Right now, Stanford University is addressing a pressing and fascinating question: What happens to society when everyone starts living to 100? How will we stay physically fit, financially stable and mentally sharp, especially in that back half? Exploring these questions is the goal of the Stanford Longevity Project. Also Read A low birth rate and a rapidly ageing population: Europe’s demographic crisis explained To answer them, they’ve partnered with major brands like Wells Fargo, Instructure, and Principal to...

February 14, 2020
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14Feb

Canadian defined benefit pension plans generated second-highest returns in a decade: RBC Investor & Treasury Services

To mark the end of a decade characterized by fintech disruptors, geopolitical tensions and regulatory changes, Canadian defined benefit pension plans returned 14.0 per cent in 2019, according to the RBC Investor & Treasury Services All Plan Universe. This was the second highest annual return over the past 10 years, in large part due to an upsurge in Canadian and global equity markets. "Over the past 10 years, the average Canadian Defined Benefits plan has generated an annualized return...

February 14, 2020
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14Feb

Denmark’s Largest Pension Fund to Launch Sustainable Vehicle

By Michael Katz PFA, Denmark’s largest pension fund with DKK560 billion ($82 billion) in assets, is launching a pension product that allows participants to invest their retirement savings in climate-focused investments that it says will be carbon neutral in five years at the latest. Beginning this summer, PFA Climate Plus will be available to the fund’s customers to allow them the opportunity to “significantly step up” how much their pensions contribute to cutting carbon dioxide emissions, the fund said. “As Denmark’s...

February 14, 2020
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14Feb

Ireland. Hundreds of community employment scheme supervisors to strike

Hundreds of community employment (CE) scheme supervisors are to hold a one-day strike on Friday over access to a pension scheme. The supervisors will join with staff working in organisations providing health and social care services that receive State grant-aid (known as section 39 bodies) at a protest to be held in Dublin on Friday. In addition, section 39 workers are scheduled to take industrial action on February 21st in a dispute over pay restoration. The rally is being...

February 14, 2020
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