CalPERS Embraces ESG Initiative
The nation's largest public pension fund has committed to a campaign for environmental sustainability.
Risk
Duke University Buys Back Debt, Mirroring Other University Endowments
As the economy continues to recover, university endowments are buying back their credit-crisis debt.
Australia's Sunsuper Seeks Small Hedge Fund Managers
Bruce Tomlison, Sunsuper's portfolio manager, has expressed his support of smaller hedge fund managers in favor of larger ones; consultants have an all-embracing approach, saying "it would be foolish to completely shun the large guys."
Consultant: S&P's Debt Warning Comes as No Surprise to Institutional Investors
Standard & Poor's credit rating of the US government's heightened debt level reflects an awareness that has long been understood by institutional investors, consultancy NEPC believes.
Norges Bank Splits CIO Responsibility Into Equities, RE, Allocation Specialties
Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM) has split its chief investment officer responsibilities into three roles.
Investment Risk and Its Many Facets
From aiCIO Magazine: Risk management as transportation metaphor:
walk (minimal risk), take a car (moderate risk), or fly a plane
(riskier)? And remember: wear a seatbelt.
Transition Management's Allocation Trends
From aiCIO Magazine: For years, there's been a shift toward alternative assets, but much of the recent action in transition management is toward decreasing plans' reliance on U.S. equities—in particular, de-risking pension plans through liability-driven investing (LDI) strategies
Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing, Baby
Angelo Calvello explores a better way to think about investing.
Step Into Liquid
From aiCIO Magazine: The solution to the FX issue historically has
been the standard three-month forward contract. Some funds execute this
strategy internally; others outsource it.
Seeking to Transfer Risk, Pension Buyouts Flourish Among UK Schemes
UK pensions are increasingly transferring risk to insurance companies, driven by M&A activity, a growing number of closures and part-closures of defined benefit pension schemes, and concerns over longevity risk.
Swiss Pension Conference Champions Risk-Taking
Representatives of various Swiss Pensionskassen agreed that funds should take risk, if they can afford it.
In the Face of De-Risking Pressure, UK Pensions Want More Long-Dated, Inflation-Protected Gilts
As increasing life expectancy and regulations pressure pension funds to de-risk their investments, UK schemes are calling for more long-dated gilts.
Bond Investor Glamour Is Over, Report Says
New research in the Credit Suisse Global Investment Returns Yearbook 2010 by professors from London Business School has shown that over the long run, equities have outperformed inflation, bonds and cash in every market examined.
MassPRIM: Removing FoFs Moves Us Closer to Peers
The Massachusetts Pension Reserves Investment Management Board has decided to embark on a comprehensive asset allocation review in an effort to better fund the $48.7 billion system, highlighting the need to change thinking, strategy, allocation, and management guidelines as circumstances change, the fund's spokesperson tells aiCIO.
Norway SWF Champions Southern European Bonds
Chief Executive of Norway's $513 billion Pension Fund Global Yngve Slyngstad believes measures that were taken during 2010 by European politicians were positive and believes yields on southern European countries' bonds will continue to improve in 2011 as a result.