March 2020

13Mar

Coronavirus: FTSE 100, Dow, S&P 500 in worst day since 1987

The main UK index dropped more than 10% in its worst day since 1987. In the US, the Dow and S&P 500 were also hit by their steepest daily falls since 1987. The declines came despite actions by the Federal Reserve and European Central Bank to ease financial strains. At the start of US trading, plummeting shares triggered an unusual automatic suspension in trading for the second time this week. When trade resumed 15 minutes later, shares continued to...

March 13, 2020
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13Mar

Japan’s GPIF, World’s Largest Pension Fund, Joins U.S., U.K. Funds to Adopt Sustainability Practices

Pension funds representing about $2 trillion in assets under management are committing to sustainability investing The move brings some of the world’s largest asset owners into the ESG movement, joining fund managers, companies and governments Pension funds’ ESG commitment highlights focus on the long term even during the current market meltdown due to coronavirus Three of the world’s largest pension funds are taking a $2 trillion stand in favor of sustainability investing. Read also Climate risk body launches...

March 13, 2020
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12Mar

Dutch pension funds stick to rebalancing policy

Dutch pension funds and their asset managers are sticking to their rebalancing policies within their strategic asset allocations, despite market volatility and falling interest rates. Many schemes will buy additional shares if equity markets remain at the current low level, several asset managers and pension providers have said. However, pension providers are keeping their cards close to their chest as they try to keep other market players in the dark about their intentions. “Making statements could unnecessarily inform the...

March 12, 2020
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11Mar

China’s total pensions assets grew by 19 percent to RMB 15 trillion in 2019, forecasts KPMG

China's three-pillar pension sector sees healthy growth prospects, improving investment returns and growing participation following regulatory changes. China's total pension assets are expected to have grown by 19 percent in 2019 to more than RMB 15 trillion. This is a year-on-year growth rate similar to its long-term average of 17 percent recorded over the last decade. According to KPMG's latest China Pensions Outlook report, the increase was due to the development of occupational annuities and continued capital injection under...

March 11, 2020
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11Mar

South Africa. The Eskom Pension and Provident Fund overpays for underperformance at the expense of Eskom employees

The Eskom Pension and Provident Fund (EPPF) is South Africa’s second-largest retirement provider of defined benefits. Most investors are focused on its solvency ratios and metrics of material costs, and less so on operational costs because of the proportion of the assets under management. A few percentage point changes in the operation costs has never been much of a cause for concern. But when operational costs become a significant financial burden, pensions should take notice. The CEO and principal...

March 11, 2020
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10Mar

What the coronavirus market fall means for UK pensions

Savers are nursing losses approaching 10% in their pension schemes since the start of the coronavirus market panic, while holders of share Isas have lost as much as a quarter of all their money in some funds. The stock market rout means someone who had accumulated £250,000 in their pension scheme at the start of this year will have seen it shrivel to about £225,000 on Monday. Holders of final salary-style pensions, mostly in the public sector, lose nothing...

March 10, 2020
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10Mar

US. Retirement plans and the coronavirus: What moves do you make?

Linda is in a panic. She’s a 65-year-old divorcée who knew she had a very risky investment strategy for her age. She’s recently retired and receives about $1,300 in Social Security. Financial support she is receiving from an ex will end next year. All was going well until the coronavirus outbreak sent stock markets around the world tumbling. Linda has 100 percent of her retirement money invested in equities. She has a home and about $60,000 in cash, which is...

March 10, 2020
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09Mar

Asset owners, managers turn to technology to combat COVID-19

Asset owners and their money managers are adapting to seeing less of each other when it comes to the day-to-day business of managing institutional portfolios. The spread of COVID-19 across the globe and the potential threat it represents to human health and disruption to basic business practices in the U.S. have led to significantly curtailed travel and heavier reliance on remote meeting technology by both investors and managers. "Everyone in the North American investment management industry is watching everything going on...

March 9, 2020
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February 2020

26Feb

Local government stops pension of 6 officials for corruption in India

Odisha government on Monday stopped pension of six retired officers and asked two other officials to take voluntary retirement from service after they were convicted in different corruption cases. The government in its order said that the service of two officials were no more required for their alleged involvement in corrupt practices, an official statement said. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has issued such a direction as part of the state government's 'Zero Tolerance' policy towards corruption, an official statement...

February 26, 2020
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26Feb

Athene Announces Pension Buyout Agreement With Armstrong World Industries

Athene Holding Ltd. (“Athene”) (NYSE: ATH), a leading retirement services company, announced a pension buyout agreement with Armstrong World Industries (“Armstrong”) (NYSE: AWI), a leader in the design and manufacture of innovative commercial and residential ceiling, wall and suspension system solutions in the Americas. Under the terms of the transaction, Athene’s wholly-owned Iowa-domiciled life insurance subsidiary, Athene Annuity and Life Company (“AAIA”), and Athene’s wholly-owned New York-domiciled life insurance subsidiary, Athene Annuity & Life Assurance Company of New York...

February 26, 2020
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