Fixing the Economy Could Break Pensions
Getting developed markets back on an even keel is the ambition for all financial regulators – but pension funds should realise they’re not part of the deal.
Newsmakers
NISA Puts Stake in the Ground With Volatility Index
Corporate plan fiduciaries and industry analysts may be comforted that future volatility in pension plans may be forecasted based on available data, which NISA has harnessed with its newly released index.
Harvard Endowment Loses Value but Beats Benchmark
The $30.7 billion fund took a beating on emerging market equities, but solidly outperformed its real assets benchmark.
The Best Debt: Corporate DB Plans
New research finds that compared to regular corporate debt, pension obligations are less expensive to carry and boost real investment.
State Street’s Smit Moves to Data & Analytics Unit
Steve Smit, who has been serving in the firm’s European offices, will return to the US for a role in the new unit.
Top-Performing Pensions, Endowments and Foundations: A Ranked List
Which North American funds had the best returns over the past five years? We know.
The FOMO Element of Discretionary Consulting
As more and more investment consultants crowd into the discretionary consulting space, perhaps spurred by a fear of missing out (FOMO) mentality, some within the industry say the potential cost of not following the herd could be a problem.
PPF Ups Levy as Contingent Asset Use Falls
The PPF has upped the levy for corporate DB funds next year, but relief comes as it is capped at this year's level.
SWFs: The New Geopolitical Power Tools, Says MIT Scholar
Forget nuclear weapons—the arsenal of the future is sovereign wealth, according to a major research paper.
Say on Pay – Investors Will Not Hold Back
Executive pay discussions are to come out of the boardroom and into the light as investors push for more say.
New Return Target for Illinois Teachers’ Pension
The largest public pension in Illinois’ notoriously under-funded system has cut its discount rate from 8.5% to 8%.
Fitch Raises Concerns Over NJ’s Unfunded Liabilities
The 60.8%-funded public pension system poses a serious challenge to the state's financial health, according to a new report from Fitch Ratings.
More Canadian Mega-Funds?
Canada is known for its large, sophisticated institutional investors – there may be two more on the way.
Oregon Hires Pension Investment Director
After a year-long search, Oregon has someone to manage its pensions.
Are Institutional Investors Fueling Stock Market Liquidity?
The market has witnessed an overall growth in institutional equity ownership in the US--has this growth affected market liquidity?