All Asset allocation articles – Page 2
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NewsPandemic damage mitigated as quarter of schemes are in surplus
More than a quarter (27 per cent) of defined benefit and hybrid schemes with tranche 15 valuations were in surplus on a technical provisions basis, despite the market shock of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the Pensions Regulator’s latest scheme funding analysis.
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NewsClearGlass: Passive ESG funds provide value for money
On the go: Passive environmental, social and governance funds are cheaper and outperform their non-ESG equivalents, representing value for money, according to a study by ClearGlass Research.
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NewsStandard Life’s sustainable switch and a new LGPS active fund
ESG spotlight: A roundup of the latest news on environmental, social and governance initiatives, including a new sustainable multi-asset profile from Standard Life, a £1bn sustainable global equities fund from LGPS Central, and an anti-scams pledge from the Universities Superannuation Scheme.
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NewsAppeals made as foreign exchange class action proceeds on opt-in basis
The Competition Appeal Tribunal has ruled that a class action suit against banks for participating in a foreign exchange spot trading cartel must proceed on an opt-in basis, leading to fears that thousands of pension funds could miss their opportunity to join the suit.
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NewsCharge cap proposals criticised as govt launches illiquids consultation
The government has said it will “take time to consider” industry concerns around its proposals to exclude performance fees from the charge cap, and has launched a combined consultation into other ways in which to encourage defined contribution schemes to invest in illiquid assets.
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NewsLabour accuses government of undermining pensions ‘consensus’
On the go: Labour’s shadow secretary of state for work and pensions, Jonathan Ashworth, has accused the government of breaking with pensions “consensus” and undermining workers’ protection with its planned pension reforms.
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NewsPensions industry in dire need of 'real' fee transparency
On the go: Asset managers charging lower fees for global active equity funds often deliver better value for money, but the fees collected differ greatly from those presented in the public domain, according to a report from ClearGlass Analytics.
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OpinionBuilding portfolio resilience: Should schemes consider hedge funds?
Aon’s senior portfolio manager, Guy Saintfiet, discusses the risks and benefits for schemes of investing in hedge funds, and how these commitments could give pension funds the diversification needed given the current market conditions.
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PodcastsPodcast: Is this really the right time for auto-enrolment expansion?
Podcast: Expanding auto-enrolment is a great idea in theory, but with sky-high inflation, a cost of living crisis and the potential for a global recession to exacerbate it, is now the right time to pursue it? LCP partner Mary Spencer and Cartwright’s director of investment consulting Sam Roberts debate the merits, discuss pension schemes’ reaction to war in Ukraine, and explore the industry’s readiness for long-term inflation.
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NewsFTSE 100 firms lagging on data, half of schemes have impact investments
ESG spotlight: A roundup of the latest news on environmental, social and governance initiatives, with a majority of FTSE 100 companies still failing to disclose diversity and welfare data in their annual reports, and Big Society Capital finding that half of all UK pension funds now hold some form of impact investment.
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NewsLGPS funds finish 2021 with an increased ESG equity focus
Data crunch: Making a broad equity allocation without incorporating environmental, social and governance criteria is now almost anathema to local authority pension schemes, at least according to the data collected by MandateWire over the fourth quarter of 2021.
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PodcastsPodcast: Government must set a timeline for auto-enrolment expansion
Podcast: Auto-enrolment could bring significant benefits to the young, the low-paid and women, and the government must commit to a date to expanding coverage, according to Now Pensions’ head of PR and campaigns, Samantha Gould. She is joined by Linklaters pensions partner John Sheppard to discuss AE, pensions dashboards, and illiquid investments by defined contribution schemes.
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NewsAlternative assets could give DC higher returns with no extra risk
Alternative assets could present defined contribution schemes with a means to increase value for members without taking on any extra risk, according to a new report from the Pensions Policy Institute.
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OpinionHow to enhance the yield from your scheme’s CDI allocations
Despite falling bond yields and credit spreads, schemes can still make the most of cash flow-driven investment strategies, writes Axa Investment Managers’ senior credit portfolio manager, Rob Price.
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NewsTweaking the charge cap will not solve DC illiquids conundrum
As the government’s consultation on removing performance fees from the charge cap — designed to assist defined contribution schemes looking to invest in illiquids — closed on Tuesday, industry experts have warned that the measure may make very little difference, and may in fact prove counterproductive.
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PodcastsPodcast: Schemes need to constantly engage with managers to achieve net zero
Podcast: The time when schemes would award mandates and walk away has come to an end, since asset owners now need to have a fairly dynamic relationship with managers to make sure achieving net zero targets is possible, argues Thomas Höhne-Sparborth, head of sustainability research at Lombard Odier Investment Managers. He is joined by Marion Maloney, head of responsible investment and governance at the Environment Agency Pension Fund, to discuss how schemes can put in place and achieve their targets for portfolio decarbonisation.
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NewsWorkplace pensions bounce back after Covid-19 effects
On the go: Workplace pension contributions grew by more than 15 per cent in the second quarter of 2021, when compared with the previous year, due to contribution levels recovering after the pandemic, according to the Office for National Statistics.
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NewsNest and UBS divest from ‘unresponsive’ energy companies
On the go: Asset manager UBS has jettisoned “unresponsive” energy companies from its suite of climate-aware funds, including one it manages on behalf of Nest.
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NewsSocial benefits a deciding factor in real estate investment allocations
On the go: More than half of scheme professionals believe institutional investors are planning to increase their allocations to real estate vehicles that provide social benefits over the next two years, according to new research.
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NewsDB schemes derisk investments as funding levels improve
On the go: Defined benefit schemes are increasingly looking to derisk their investment approach to protect their improved funding levels, according to new research from Aon.