Strategy
Get the latest news on pension fund and investor strategies, plus in-depth analysis of industry successes and tactical U-turns
Latest news
Swiss BVK issues €700m infrastructure mandates
A €350m mandate will invest via a multi-manager arrangement, while the other €350m mandate will invest via an unlisted co-investment
P+ taken to task by Danish FSA over private equity risk measurement
Financial watchdog criticises pension fund for failing to document appropriateness of data source behind model to estimate PE risk premium
ATP disappointed as Better Energy restructures
Citing ‘perfect storm of negative market conditions’, Danish renewable-energy firm enters restructuring to rebuild capital base and stabilise the business
SEI joins forces with PIC to facilitate master trust access for DB scheme members
DB scheme members with DC and AVC arrangements will be able to access the SEI Master Trust
AP7 boosts internal management as it reaches quarter-century milestone
Sweden’s DC buffer fund is boosting internal capacity and embarking on a hiring spree as it seeks to adapt to a harsh new investment environment
Dutch doctors fund’s concentrated portfolio a ‘risky strategy’
The risk of missing out on new investment trends is seen as the main drawback of a concentrated portfolio with a buy-and-hold strategy
Danish pension funds split over venture capital opportunities
PensionDanmark is backing early-stage venture capital investments but its peers are shying away from VC
Denmark: ATP boss stands by investment strategy in face of critics
Labour market fund CEO Martin Præstegaard: ‘Stick to current investment strategy but be open to change’
Sweden's buffer fund AP4 considers doubling allocation to defensive equities
An overhaul of buffer fund’s dynamic normal portfolio is already under way in a bid to adapt to greater global uncertainty
LeapFrog eyes global impact investment opportunities
Impact investing was once a niche concept. “We were seen as the weird people in the corner of the room,” recalls Andy Kuper, the South African founder and CEO of LeapFrog Investments
BNY Investments: More than the sum of the parts?
The world’s top asset managers are a diverse bunch. From pure-play managers to investment bank-owned firms and those with an asset servicing heritage, the different flavours also reflect the changing nature of the sector.
Veritas: Finnish pension insurer seeks in-house efficiency
Veritas CIO Laura Wickström talks to Pirkko Juntunen about the challenges and opportunities of running a lean but efficient internal investment team
Endowment funds stick with alternatives despite headwinds
Disappointing returns in the last fiscal year may force US university endowments to rethink their investment strategies, but could this include moving away from the so-called Yale model that focuses on alternative investments?
Mansion House Compact: spotlight on Scottish Widows
Scottish Widows joined the Mansion House Compact in July 2023 as one of the founding signatories committing to allocating at least 5% of its default funds to unlisted equities by 2030
Swedish, European small caps to be next group for premium pension tenders
Swedish agency firms up running order of 2025 procurements plan; extends deadline for active global equity tender currently under way
Dutch doctors fund switches to concentrated equity portfolio
The €10bn fund will only keep about 70 companies in a new buy-and-hold approach
Passive investors: price/market reliance and the due diligence question
Towards the end of October 2024, the High Court in London struck out claims for £335m (€402m) being sought from Barclays for misdemeanours dating back over ten years.
Next year’s Swedish FTN plan includes SEK145bn active IT equities mandates
Fund Selection Agency outlines 2025 procurement plan for four actively managed premium pension fund categories and one index-based
Can active ETFs give institutional investors more choice?
Pension funds are increasingly showing interest in active ETFs for their flexibility, cost-effectiveness and ability to generate value beyond index returns
Varma trumpets biggest investment yet with €2.3bn in US climate ETF
Finnish pensions insurer invests in Invesco New-York ETF launch, with fund tailored to its own needs
Swedish, European small caps to be next group for premium pension tenders
Swedish agency firms up running order of 2025 procurements plan; extends deadline for active global equity tender currently under way
Varma invests €500m in made-to-measure Japanese low-emission ETF
Finnish pension firm’s listed chief says Varma will carry on creating more sustainability products
Passive investors: price/market reliance and the due diligence question
Towards the end of October 2024, the High Court in London struck out claims for £335m (€402m) being sought from Barclays for misdemeanours dating back over ten years.
Next year’s Swedish FTN plan includes SEK145bn active IT equities mandates
Fund Selection Agency outlines 2025 procurement plan for four actively managed premium pension fund categories and one index-based
Have factor investing strategies had their day?
Factors have inspired indices, spin-offs and a variety of investment strategies but it has become hard to argue that they will offer investors a persistent future premium
Equities: Active investors keep their eye on the prize
As equity markets enter a new phase after the August 2024 sell-off, institutions are sticking to their long-term active equity approaches
LD picks BankInvest for listed alternatives, citing quant, factor-based approach
Danish pension fund manager “pleasantly surprised” by volume of extremely high quality offers received
Pension funds should not be treated as NBFIs, PensionsEurope tells EC
Industry association responds to consultation that will inform policy planning in the Commission’s new political mandate
How pension funds manage derivatives and liquidity needs
The use of derivatives, for hedging and other purposes, is common among pension funds, but it can be a drain on liquidity. We asked three pension funds how they ensure adequate levels of liquidity when interest rates are volatile
TPT Investment Management launches LDI solution for DB schemes
Solution is designed to enable schemes to implement robust long-term funding strategies focused on their endgame objectives
Case study: Caja de Ingenieros Gestion - The rise of smart beta
The Spanish pension provider Caja de Ingenieros Gestion serves more than 215,000 members, predominantly from the Spanish engineering sector, using an investment style based on independent analysis, with a bottom-up approach.
Smart beta pioneer reignites debate on factor timing
Research Affiliates founder Rob Arnott finds ‘most factors look very cheap’ in a new paper highlighting the attractiveness of many equity factor strategies
Viewpoint: Alternative risk premia strategies stand tall amid turmoil
While bond and equity markets have been pummeled in 2022, Alternative Risk Premia strategies have at last been able to demonstrate their diversification prowess. Will this year’s performance restore investor confidence in these strategies after the painful results of 2020?
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