German pension funds turn to Asia due to concerns over US assets
SOKA-BAU aims to increase its overall allocation to Asian assets to 35% of its total portfolio, up from the current 12.7% level
Prudential Regulation Authority puts funded reinsurance use high on agenda
Regulator to increase transparency of insurer life stress test by publishing both sector-wide and firm-specific stress test results for largest UK life insurers
LGPS Central launches stewardship service to ease governance burden
Mandate announced by the pool in January 2025
BPA transactions hit record number in 2024
298 bulk purchase annuity transactions were completed in 2024, an increase from 227 in 2023
Dutch funding ratios rebound after tariffs delay
The average pension fund had a funding ratio of 116% at the end of the month
IASB forges ahead with climate, other uncertainties reporting examples
The board is expected to finalise the examples in October 2025
Dutch funds see funding ratios rise in Q1 despite negative returns
Dutch pension funds felt the effects of Donald Trump’s trade war in the first three months of the year as interest rates rose and assets fell
Managers looking for more leadership from asset owners, says PRI CEO
PRI working on project to ‘re-articulate the financial case for responsible investment’
SSGA launches opt-in sustainability stewardship service
New service is available globally to institutional separately-managed accounts that ‘prioritise achieving sustainability outcomes’
UK pension funds brace for surge in member enquiries as dashboard rollout begins
WTW polled 68 pension schemes on challenges expected ahead of the pensions dashboard launch
People moves: IFM’s Nikulina joins ShareAction’s trustee board
Plus: PPF chief joins Capital Markets Industry Taskforce; FCA makes board appointments
Nordic pensions heavyweights look for silver lining amid limited Q1 losses
ATP’s Præstegaard emphasises importance of guarantees in unpredictable times, while NBIM turns in a small loss for Q1
UK government confirms multi-employer CDC regulation for autumn
Pensions minister says several organisations are actively looking to set up multi-employer CDC schemes
Ostrum AM establishes investment solutions team in strategic leadership reshuffle
Iain Bremner will lead the newly established investment solutions team
SDR seen as effective at curbing greenwashing – IA survey
Meaanwhile, FCA announces it has decided against extending its SDR to cover portfolio management
Future Growth Capital UK LTAF makes first investment in line with LIFTS initiative
The investment manager aims to deploy an initial £1bn as part of a planned £10-20bn deployment over the next decade into UK and global private markets
FTN invites tenders for SEK46bn active Swedish, European small-cap funds
Swedish Fund Selection Agency reveals subsequent procurement will be for IT, communication sector funds
People’s Partnership builds in-house capability to lead private markets drive
People’s Pension provider will have in-house capability needed to build on ambition to invest 10% of its growth pool assets in private markets by 2030
UK regulator prepares trustees for first valuations under new DB funding code
The Pensions Regulator has published the first annual funding statement, which shows that just over half of UK pension funds (54%) are in surplus on a buyout basis
Scottish Widows set to launch open-architecture Long Term Asset Fund
The LTAF will leverage parent company Lloyds Banking Group’s expertise across UK-based private markets opportunities
ISSB targets Scope 3 clarity in proposed IFRS S2 climate rule changes
‘It is the role of a responsible standard-setter to listen to market feedback from the earliest implementation stages,’ says ISSB vice chair Sue Lloyd
Sweden mulls passing Pensions Agency’s SEK100bn investment task to different body
All-party Pensions Group agrees to probe improving premium pension system’s payout phase
AllianzGI, Lurse launch occupational pension solution for SMEs
Allianz Plug-In Pension offers range of options for designing customised retirement plans, including flexible contribution structures and payout choices
New holistic corporate climate index set to be developed
Mirova and Sweep today announced the firms that will take the new index forward
Deadlines become clearer for EU’s revised sustainability reporting rules
EFRAG signs off on workplan for ESRS rethink as lawmakers thrash out further changes in Parliament and Council
PKA sells quarter of private equity arm to Danish company pledging €1bn
Lars Larsen Group buys stake in IIP after Danish pension fund manager spent time searching for right partner
Credit Suisse Pensionskasse pushes real assets allocation target by CHF1bn
The pension fund now holds 51.3% of its CHF17.6bn in total assets in real assets
Dutch pension funds reduce investment-grade credit exposure in new DC system
Many funds will no longer add investment-grade corporate bonds to matching portfolios, preferring instead bonds with higher expected returns
Alecta welcomes Swedish FSA’s decision to probe pension transfer risks
Watchdog sees danger that booming occupational pensions switching creates incentives for firms to give questionable advice
Varma CEO says self-employment YEL pension scheme ‘clearly needs reform’
Pensions insurer currently scheduled to review the income of some 12,000 entrepreneurs
Investors warned of misleading carbon intensity metrics in oil and gas sector
Transition Pathway Initiative is urging investors to question carbon-intensity calculations, warning they could inflate a firm’s net zero progress
Iceland’s Pension Fund of Commerce swaps custodian as portfolio evolves
JP Morgan wins competitive tender, taking over custody of LV’s foreign assets from BBH
Germany’s VBL to face court ruling on investment transparency
Fund argues that plaintiff is not entitled to details, noting that existing rule already imposes extensive disclosure obligations
ATP on poor showing in Finnish ranking: ‘Does not reflect value creation’
Denmark’s statutory pension fund defends its results after Finnish Centre for Pensions ranks its real returns as lowest
Europe sees first-ever net outflows from sustainability funds, says Morningstar
Data comes as MSCI publishes study into funds investing in the climate transition
UK’s DWP unveils small pots consolidator
UK pensions minister vows to automatically bring together people’s small pots into one high-performing pension, reducing costs as well as hassle for savers
People moves: Alecta to propose new chair at AGM
Plus: Lægernes Pension appoints head of listed assets; AFII expands in Asia with two hires
UK’s PPF to invest £1bn in infrastructure
DB protection fund will assess quality UK and global opportunities in line with fiduciary duty
Asga Pensionskasse to make first foray into private debt
Despite growing international popularity, private debt accounts for less than 1% of assets at the average Swiss pension fund
Finnish pension funds outshine international peers on real returns
Denmark’s bond-heavy ATP stands out for comparatively low real returns, in Finnish Centre for Pensions’ analysis
AllianzGI names first winner of Impact Research Award
Asset manager celebrates academic papers that help it assess the sustainability impact of unlisted companies
Dutch funds play hard to get on defence investments
Pension funds in the Netherlands await for government to take first step by providing investment opportunities
Sampension, Folksam take Norway’s Equinor to task on net zero ‘inconsistency’
Danish, Swedish pension majors team up with Australasian NGO to confront Norwegian state oil company
Macquarie exits European, US public markets through strategic deal with Nomura
Deal includes a distribution agreement enabling Nomura to distribute MAM’s alternative strategies to institutional and other clients globally
Fopen selects Schroders for €120m private equity mandate
The pension fund for energy firm Enel is also boosting exposure to private debt, committing €105m through Progetto Zefiro
Generali and Partners Group target private credit secondaries
While MSCI and Moody’s move to standardise risk
First UK pension provider completes connection to dashboards ecosystem
Connection is in line with staged timetable set out by government last year
Industry bodies bemoan new German government’s pension plans
New coalition government’s plan represents ‘a commitment to maintaining existing structures’ rather than a basis for far-reaching reforms
Quarter of shareholders vote down BP’s chair amid strategy row
Opposition could be driven by almost opposing concerns regarding the company’s oil and gas production strategy
Asset owners throw weight behind bond index aimed at driving decarbonisation
UN pension fund will invest up to $500m using index, which is yet to be launched
