All Alternative assets articles – Page 8
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Features
Nationwide builds inflation hedge, ups matching assets to derisk
Nationwide Pension Fund has reduced its exposure to return-seeking assets and carried out its first significant inflation hedge, as capital adequacy rules drive banking and building society sponsors to reduce funding volatility.
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News
Tesco chooses cash flow matching over strategic asset allocation
Tesco Pension Fund has moved away from strategic asset allocations towards a risk-based investment strategy, which allows the scheme to get the right mix of assets to meet future cash flows.
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Features
Bromley mulls 10% illiquids allocation as cash flow worsens
The London Borough of Bromley Pension Fund is considering a 10 per cent allocation to illiquid assets to provide greater returns and inflation linkage, in expectation of turning cash-flow negative within seven years.
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News
Schemes have scope to delve deeper into illiquids, but confidence lacking
Defined benefit schemes are showing increased interest in illiquid alternatives as they hunt greater yield and diversification, but many lack sufficient resources and the confidence needed to execute such investments.
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News
BBC plan sees slight deficit improvement as contributions bed in
The BBC has seen a small improvement in its accounting pension deficit as it embarks upon a 12-year plan of additional contributions to boost its scheme funding.
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Features
Local government schemes reject forced passive CIV proposals
Local authority schemes have rejected government proposals to mandate pooling assets into a passively managed common investment vehicle, but did see benefits in other suggestions put forward.
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News
PPF adds hybrid allocation, trims traditional assets
The Pension Protection Fund has revised its statement of investment principles, trimming its allocation to cash, bonds and equities as it seeks to capitalise on the illiquidity premia of so-called ‘hybrid’ assets.
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News
Daily Mail grabs alternative inflation linkage in place of pricey gilts
The Daily Mail and General Trust pension fund has used alternative assets to provide inflation linkage, after demand and monetary policy drove up the cost of using gilts to mitigate inflation risk.
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Features
Islington to build on residential property bet in alts push
Islington Council’s pension fund plans to reduce its allocation to equities and diversify further into alternatives, in a stated desire to gain greater and more stable returns.
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Features
Strathclyde taps renewables as alternatives fund swells
Strathclyde Pension Fund has removed the £300m maximum from its New Opportunities portfolio, and will review its 3 per cent allocation limit, as it makes a suite of diversifying investments predominantly in renewable energy.
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News
Schemes up proxy matching assets to avoid low-yield bonds
Schemes are seeking proxies for traditional matching assets, investment data have shown, as low yields in fixed income make some investors reticent about implementing liability-driven investment strategies.
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News
Shell introduces reserve account to prevent contribution volatility
The Shell Contributory Pension Fund has created a contribution reserve account to prevent a trapped surplus as it exceeds full funding.
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News
Waltham Forest invests in impact bonds for diversified returns
Waltham Forest Pension fund has invested in a £20.8m impact investment fund as it seeks to diversify its returns and support UK-based social capital projects.
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News
Experts call for smart beta credit to meet diversification demand
Alternative fixed income indices could be the next frontier in smart beta investing for pension schemes, industry experts have said, calling for a shift in focus away from equity strategies.
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Features
Solvency reform could boost cat bond value for schemes
Demand for insurance-linked securities such as catastrophe bonds has been rising even as yields have been decreasing, as consultants expect Solvency II to increase supply.
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FeaturesRPMI ups emerging market exposure to drive returns
NAPF Investment Conference 2014: The Railways Pension Scheme aired plans to increase its exposure to emerging markets, including investment in alternatives, as it seeks further return drivers.
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News
European investors hunt alternatives to diversify growth assets
Data analysis: Fixed income attracted the most money from European investors last year, but alternatives won on future allocations as schemes look to derisk and diversify portfolios.
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Opinion
Why the AIFMD boosts the case for hedge funds
Lyxor’s Cyrus Amaria argues last year’s directive on alternative investments should remove some of the traditional barriers to pension funds investing in hedge funds, in this edition of Informed Comment.
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News
Equity market growth sees schemes rerisking
Data analysis: Schemes were rerisking in the last quarter of 2013 as they sought to benefit from rising equity markets to improve their funding levels.
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Opinion
Debating the pros and cons of illiquid assets in DC
F&C’s Julian Lyne warns that schemes should not ignore the very real liquidity risks in alternative assets, even as they hunger for diversification, in this edition of Informed Comment.