Yes We Do!
From aiCIO Magazine: This is the new era of fund administration—the ‘Yes We Do’ era, not just
for administrators, but for managers, as well as end investors. Bonnie Scott reports.
News
Ataturk Makes Good
From aiCIO Magazine: It is a curious twist of historical fate: Two bodies established to
enshrine the past of an impoverished nation are the forerunners of a
very wealthy future. Nick Lord reports.
Mercer Abandons Public Pension Plans
The Consultant Corner from aiCIO Magazine: As the consultant industry—an expensive, time-consuming, litigious space—continues to shift, one can't help wonder if other firms will follow Mercer's lead in a clustering effect, spurred by fear of being the last out. aiCIO Senior Editor Paula Vasan reports.
Innovation, Meet CalSTRS. CalSTRS, Innovation.
From aiCIO Magazine: CalSTRS is quietly undermining public funds’ staid image with a unit focused exclusively on testing new investment strategies. aiCIO Editor-in-Chief Kip McDaniel reports.
The Chinese Are Coming! Oh, Sorry, I Meant the Albertans
From aiCIO Magazine: With 52% of world reserve supply, the Canadian government, along with the Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan and two minor producers, collude to keep potash prices artificially high. Editor-in-Chief Kip McDaniel reports.
Rebalancing
From aiCIO Magazine: Is the failure to rebalance an institutional portfolio “the height of irresponsibility,” or, as some think, not a failure at all? Joe Flood reports.
PIMCo's El-Erian Foresees Brighter US Outlook Following Obama's Tax Cut Compromise
Mohamed El-Erian at Pacific Investment Management Co, which runs the world's biggest bond fund, has revised his outlook for US growth in 2011 following President Barack Obama's tax-cut compromise deal.
Spurred by Drive to Outsource, Insurance Asset Managers See Spike in RFPs in 2010
Investment managers are seeing an increase in the number of requests for proposals (RFPs) from insurance companies seeking third party services as the manager selection process evolves to meet increasingly complex investment needs.
Canadian Funds Beef Up PE Teams
Despite a relatively quiet year in 2010, the private-equity arm of the Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec plans to add to its private equity team to invest in Quebec companies.
Survey: Alternative Investment Fees on the Decline
Mercer's 2010 Asset Manager Fee Survey has shown that fees for hedge funds, private equity, infrastructure and real estate are all down from 2008.
Barclays Capital Survey Finds Commodity Investors Predict Higher Returns
Hedge funds and institutional investors predict a bigger inflow into direct commodity investments than in 2010 as the economy continues to improve, increasing demand for metals, grains, and energy.
Norway's SWF Says Europe's Bond Market Promises a Strong Recovery
Betting on a rebound following the bailout of Greece in May, the Government Pension Fund Global has rekindled its interest in Greek, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian government debt.
Mercer Shows S&P 1500 Company Pension Deficits Shrink to $359 Billion
The consulting firm found that the shortfall among US company pension plans at the end of November corresponds to a funded status of 79%, compared to a funded status of 78% at the end of October.
Tax Transparent Vehicles in the UK to Attract $31 Billion for Pensions
Deloitte estimates that more than $31 billion (£20 billion) of additional multinational pension fund investments will be made in the UK.
MassPRIM Withdraws $1.1 Billion From BlackRock Due to Poor Performance in Fixed-Income
The Massachusetts state pension fund is seeking to replace BlackRock Inc. because it "lacks confidence that the firm is adequately focused" on fixed-income markets.