CalPERS to Critics: Get Your Facts Straight
Again, the California Public Employees’ Retirement System has pushed back against media critics that have faulted the fund for its poor 2011 returns.
News
Wellington: Shopping, Not Sweatshops, to Drive China’s Economy
China is mid-transformation into a consumer economy, and all that shopping will drive global growth in the long term, says Wellington Management.
Don’t Bet the Farm on Emerging Markets (They Could Be in a Similar State to Us)
Emerging markets are getting along just fine – or they would be if the developed world would sort its fiscal self out.
Alternative Assets the Key to Solvency, Says Blackstone Head
With bond yields in the low-single digits and equity markets volatile, Blackstone's President and CEO Tony James argues that its time for plan sponsors to aggressively pursue alternative assets.
Moody’s Foresees Group Annuity Purchases by Five Major US Corporations
In the wake of General Motors’ $29 billion purchase of a group annuity from Prudential, Moody’s Investors Service has predicted that five other big players will follow suit.
Proposed Pension System Faces Fiscal and Political Hurdles
A proposal to create universal retirement accounts in the US could have huge effects on the investment consulting and asset management businesses—but the devil is in the details.
Wilshire: Corporate Plans Ride US Bonds to Three-Year Returns of 12.53%
Institutional plans’ returns tracked their fixed-income allocations in the short and medium term, Wilshire Associates says.
Desperate Times Fuel Investor Risk Appetite
Cheap credit may be good for some, but for those needing to benefit from lending their cash it could not come at a worse time.
What Can Asset Owners Learn From Knight Cap's Blunder?
As Knight Capital fights for its survival, investors should learn from its failures to protect their future capital against illiquidity, wide market fluctuations, and ultimately losses, industry commentators say.
Deficits Up, Funding Ratios Down at Corporate Pensions
Corporate pension funds finished July with record-high deficits and record-low funding ratios, according to new data released by Mercer.
Baltimore Pension Trustee: Lending County $25 Million a ‘No-Brainer’
The Employees' Retirement System of Baltimore County will lend the county $25 million, one of the first deals of its kind--but perhaps not the last.
Public Pensions Question Efficacy of $8 Billion a Year in Fees to Wall Street
State public pension plans in the US spent $7.8 billion on management fees in 2011, and the premium that the plans are paying for active management may not be worth its price, a new report has claimed.
Stock Losses, Low Interest Rates Pummel New Jersey Pension as Indiana Reduces Target
Faced with a year of stock losses and record-low interest rates, New Jersey's $69.9 billion public pension system has missed its return target of 7.95% for the fiscal year as Indiana's scheme has reduced its target to the lowest among schemes nationwide.
CalPERS Scraps With Stockton’s Bond Insurer Over Right to Assets
As Stockton, California, seeks bankruptcy protection under Chapter 9, CalPERS and a bond insurer have both laid claim to its residual assets.
Survey: Asset Management Firms Need a Wake-Up Call
Profit among asset management firms globally is at risk as choppy markets take a bite into profit, according to an industry analysis surveying 96 money managers worldwide.