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January 2024

U.S. pension risk transfer sales increased 39% in Q3 2023: report

U.S. pension risk transfer sales increased by 39 per cent during the third quarter of 2023, according to a report by LIMRA. It found single premium buyout sales were US$8.1 billion, 69 per cent lower than this time last year. Year-to-date, buyout sales fell 30 per cent to $28.9 billion compared to 2022. There were 203 buyout contracts in the quarter, a 40 per cent year-over-year increase, and year to date, there were 483 buyout contracts completed, more than double...

Pension Risk Transfer Growth Fuels UK Insurance Rating

The growing popularity of pension risk transfer deals is behind an “improving” label for the U.K.’s life insurance sector, according to Fitch Ratings. Higher interest rates have led to an increase in the funded status of U.K. pension funds, which in turn has led to an increase in PRT transactions as companies seek to offload their pension liabilities. The increase in PRT transactions is primarily responsible for Fitch’s optimism about the sector in the U.K.; the ratings agency identified a “neutral”...

December 2023

U.S. pension risk transfer sales dip in Q3 year over year, LIMRA survey shows

U.S. pension risk transfer sales totaled $10.4 billion in the third quarter, down for the year-over-year period, although there were a record number of contracts executed, a LIMRA survey found. The total volume in the third quarter fell below the record-setting third quarter of 2022, which saw a total of $26.1 billion in volume, according to the survey. However, the third quarter of 2022 experienced the record volume due to a single transaction. International Business Machines, Armonk, N.Y., purchased group annuity contracts...

AI poses risks to U.S. economy, Financial Stability Oversight Council says

For the first time, the Financial Stability Oversight Council in its annual report identified artificial intelligence as a vulnerability in the U.S. financial system. The council said financial institutions, market participants and regulatory authorities should further build expertise and capacity to monitor AI innovation and usage, and identify emerging risks. "AI has the potential to increase efficiency and innovation, but it also introduces certain risks," the council said in its report released Dec. 14. "Monitoring these rapidly emerging technologies will continue to be...

Pensions at a Glance 2023: OECD and G20 Indicators

By OECD The 2023 edition of Pensions at a Glance highlights the pension reforms undertaken by OECD countries over the last two years. It includes a special chapter focusing on pension provisions for hazardous or arduous work. It describes existing rules, characterises recent policy trends and assesses the design and functioning of early-retirement rules for hazardous or arduous jobs given changing working conditions and ageing pressure on pension systems. This edition also updates information on the key features of pension provision in...

Subjective survival beliefs and social networks

By Seung Jeonga, Iqbal Owadallya, Steven Habermana & Douglas Wright People's perceptions about their chances of survival are known to deviate from the objective survival probabilites derived statistically from mortality data. This is crucial because it may explain why people save too little, why their retirement plans are inadequate, and why they do not buy financial security products such as life insurance and annuities which could protect them and their family in the event of early death or in old...

US. First LAX Strikes in 20 Years Pose Potential Fiduciary Risk for Public Pension Funds

Last week, hundreds of workers employed by PAI Partners-owned concessionaire, Areas USA, walked out on strike at Los Angeles International Airport, following workers’ first strike on November 21. PAI Partners is a private equity investment firm based in Paris, France. Workers’ decision to strike during the busy holiday season came after Areas has failed to agree to wage increases workers need to afford the soaring cost of housing in the Los Angeles area. "My coworkers and I are on strike because...

U.K. Pensions Regulator updates cyber-risk guidance

U.K. pension trustees should be vigilant about cybersecurity and report significant events, The Pensions Regulator said in updated guidance released Dec. 11. "Pension schemes are at risk of being targeted by cyber-attacks because of the large amounts of personal data and assets they hold," TPR said in a release, saying the guidance will help trustees and plan managers as well as suppliers and advisers. The latest guidance calls on trustees and providers to report significant cyber incidents to help it build a better...

BP pension nears deal to sell portfolio worth as much as $800m

The defined benefit pension scheme of one of the world’s largest oil and gas companies is close to offloading a portfolio of private market fund stakes, Secondaries Investor has learned. BP’s DB pension has been shopping a portfolio around $700 million to $800 million, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Campbell Lutyens is understood to be the adviser on the deal. The sale of the portfolio started in the second quarter of this year, according to the two sources. The...

November 2023

Africa running out of time to sort looming pensions crisis

An expert at the ongoing 4th Annual Conference of the African Pension Supervisors Association (APSA) in Kampala has said urgent steps need to be taken to reverse a trend in which the continent has only 10% pension coverage of its population. Sundeep Raichura, Group Chief Executive Officer Zamara says that before African experts can talk of extending pension coverage, they must first admit it has no working pension system, in order for the leaders to focus on getting home grown...