All articles by IPE staff – Page 17
-
News
European pension assets rise 5.7% to €3.7trn
[16:30 CEST 05-09] EUROPE – Market turbulence and its effect on the global economy has overshadowed pension fund performance in the past year, as results of Investment & Pensions Europe’s Top 1000 Pension Funds survey 2008 shows assets of the largest schemes have risen, but the growth of pensions assets ...
-
NewsPolish payout system in sight
POLAND – The Polish ministry of labour and social policy has submitted two bills to establish a payout system for Polish private sector pensions to the government for approval.
-
.jpg)
FeaturesETF trading volumes soar on market turbulence
Trading volumes of exchange-traded funds (ETF) soared to three times their normal level during the late January credit crunch, according to Barclays Global Investors’ ETF arm iShares.
-
Features
Asset allocation
Equities Investors are more bullish on US and UK equity markets and more bearish on Japan, Asia, and euro-zone equities. Asia experienced the biggest decline in sentiment; with the number of investors predicting a rise in Asian equities falling 10%. Asia had been the one bright spot in terms ...
-
Features
Overdoing the doom and gloom
Off The Record is an opportunity for readers of Investment & Pensions Europe to say what they think about topical issues. This month’s Off The Record looks at the year ahead and asks what we can expect in 2008.
-
Features
Opportunities for quant to deliver missing alpha
Swiss private bank Wegelin & Co is planning to expand its footprint into Australasia in 2008. The asset management arm of Wegelin is a leading active quant manager, with $5bn invested in quant strategies ($20bn overall) of which $1bn is invested in single hedge fun
-
Features
Euroclear edges towards conformity
Euroclear has taken another step in its aim to harmonise clearing and settlement in the countries it covers on to a single platform.
-
Features
The index issue
MSCI Barra has responded to the new-found interest in frontier markets with the launch of a dedicated frontier markets index.
-
Features
Sofia Group gives region a voice
CEE pension associations formed an ad-hoc working group during an August 2006 meeting of pension representatives in Sofia, Bulgaria.
-
Special Report
ESG soundbites
IPE put these questions to a selection of pension funds, asset managers and other groups: Q1. What does environment, social and governance investing (ESG)/socially responsible investment (SRI) mean to you? Q2. Do ESG/SRI strategies add value to portfolios? Q3. Is SRI/ESG part of a pension fund’s fiduciary duty?
-
Features
Cutting-edge strategies resolve risk/return dilemma
All pension funds have to balance risk and return, but for local government pension funds, there is also another balancing act involved – the ability to deal with political pressure.
-
Features
Investment guidelines reflect members’ values
With socially responsible investing continuing to develop as an established part of the asset management industry, it is easy for pension funds to make token gestures towards the concept, without necessarily putting in place processes that can effect change.
-
Features
Core/satellite approach keeps performance up
Since its launch in 1999, the Fonditel Red Básica pension fund has achieved remarkable returns on its investments, a record which has kept it permanently at the top of the performance rankings. For this consistency of performance, FRB has won the award for Best Spanish Pension Fund.
-
Features
Open door policy redefines real estate
Investing in any kind of alternative requires care and skill. Real estate is a classic example. There are different ways you can get into this popular alternative and once in, running a property portfolio presents certain challenges – something Denmark’s professional services pension scheme, PKA, knows only to well, with ...
-
Features
Mutual respect in selecting the best
Launched in 1993, Portugal’s small €94m BPI Valorização is unlike many of the other schemes represented at this year’s IPE Awards.
-
Features
Back to basics review creates complex but manageable system
Constructing a successful portfolio will always require careful planning and a clear set of principles to ensure it develops effortlessly and efficiently. This is an ethos that Sweden’s €22.8bn AP3 scheme fully understands. With investment returns falling from 17.7% in 2005 to 9.5% in 2006, the state buffer fund began ...
-
Features
Commodities results prompt measured reappraisal
For most passive commodities investors, 2006 was a disappointing year in performance terms. But instead of a knee-jerk response, reducing its exposure to this asset class, the reaction from Doctors Pension Fund Services was a calm reappraisal of its whole approach to this area.
-
Features
An extra component to an LDI strategy
With assets around some €2.8bn under management, Dutch scheme PNO Media, which represents 30,000 members across the Netherlands’ media industry, may be small in comparison with some of its peers, such ABP and PGGM, but that doesn’t mean it is any less innovative or meticulous in its operations – as ...
-
Features
Pooled vehicle brings new life to Baltic bond market
It is one thing to be aware that a specific market sector needs to be developed. It is quite another to recognise that opportunity and to grasp it with both hands. In helping to grow the corporate debt market in the Baltic countries, and for its innovative approach to its ...
-
Features
That special touch
Inarcassa’s approach to its investments since it was privatised 12 years ago has been both innovative and diligently planned.
