All Defined benefit articles – Page 208
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News
Lloyds derisks to stabilise scheme funding
One of Lloyds Bank's defined benefit pension funds has increased its allocation to bonds in an effort to boost stability, as European regulation puts pressure on bank sponsors to reduce volatility.
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Features
Plumbing scheme offers lower contribution rate to tempt employers
The Plumbing and Mechanical Services Industry Pension Scheme will offer a lower contribution scale to new employers joining the career average scheme, to help it compete with defined contribution arrangements.
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News
Bulk annuity growth could tackle competition gap
New analysis: More insurers are expected to join the bulk annuities market to meet growing demand from pension funds, after concerns were raised over competition in the sector.
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News
United Utilities ups interest rate hedge after hitting trigger
United Utilities has increased interest rate hedging in its defined benefit schemes in order to reduce risk, working towards its target of full protection against interest and inflation rate fluctuations.
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News
Employers open to risk of reporting errors on contingent assets
News analysis: Employers have been told to approach the use of certain contingent asset funding deals with caution, after the Financial Reporting Council said solvency improvements could be cause for investigation.
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News
Thales commits £1.6bn to scheme after funding drop
Thales UK pension scheme has enhanced its recovery plan following a deterioration of its funding position due to low interest rates.
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Opinion
How to manage your cash flows effectively
Inefficient cash flow management is prevalent among UK pension schemes, but also avoidable, explain Buck’s Simon Hill and Emma Lowry in this edition of Technical Comment.
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News
IBM portal gets 5,000 sign-ups as scheme goes paperless
More than 5,200 active employee members have signed up to IBM Pensions Trust’s online pensions management portal since it was launched in the middle of last year.
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News
Infrastructure top of agenda despite hurdles
Data analysis: Defined benefit and defined contribution schemes are once again circling infrastructure investments, but a lack of underlying assets and suitable funds – especially for DC investors – is holding back inflows.
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Opinion
Regulator: ‘Balance’ key to our DB approach in 2014
Talking head: Interim chief executive Stephen Soper looks at what the Pensions Regulator has coming this year, including how its revised DB funding strategy will affect employers and schemes.
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Opinion
How to get the right people to run your scheme
In this edition of Technical Comment, Jelf’s Mark Winstanley gives some pointers on getting the right mix of people and skills that is crucial to the smooth running of a pension scheme.
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News
BA uses triggers to grab derisking opportunities
British Airways’ New Airways Pension Scheme has implemented a liability-hedging framework aiming to capture outperformance, as schemes take a more opportunistic approach to derisking.
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Features
Essex merges functions after admissions rise
Essex Pension Fund has combined its employer, investment and administration teams into a single structure to deal with an increased number of employers joining the scheme.
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News
WMPF portal drives 19% increase in web engagement
West Midlands Pension Fund has seen a substantial increase in traffic to its website following the launch of an online portal providing scheme information to members and employers.
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News
Scheme confidence drives LDI take-up
News analysis: Three-quarters of UK defined benefit pension schemes are using or planning to use liability-driven investment strategies, as increasing delegation is encouraging more complicated approaches.
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FeaturesManagers’ examples on reducing risks from 2013
Year in review: Pension managers and trustees took a variety of measures to protect their members’ benefits, Pensions Week reported over the past year, from more efficient administration software to covenant safeguards.
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Features
How Carillion managed ‘year-long’ longevity swap project
Carillion improved its governance and data to ensure a good deal on its £1bn longevity swap, as it sought to hedge greater-than-anticipated life expectancy among members of its defined benefit schemes.
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NewsImproved funding levels set off derisking triggers
Four in 10 schemes hit derisking triggers in the year to September as funding levels recovered and institutional investors looked to take risk off the table.
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News
Schemes face series of admin hurdles in 2014
2014 preview: Pensions liberation, data and tax are among the major administrative challenges schemes will face next year, industry experts have cautioned.
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News
Investors on the hunt for asset performance
2014 preview: Next year will provide defined benefit schemes more derisking opportunities, while defined contribution schemes may need to diversify further during their growth phase, investment experts have predicted.