All Federal Reserve articles
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Opinion
Inflation fears could see schemes move to lock in equity gains
Many trustees will have witnessed some remarkable gains from their global equity allocations.
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Features
Jaguar scheme opts for forestry and farmland
The Jaguar Pension Plan has invested in agriculture and timber funds in a bid to diversify its portfolio and develop its exposure to opportunistic private markets.
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Opinion
Unwinding of QE still threatens Eurozone markets
From the blog: The shifting landscape of Italian politics over the past few weeks is just the latest chapter in a longstanding narrative of political risk and uncertainty that appears to threaten both the eurozone’s economic recovery and the European Central Bank’s monetary policy framework perpetually.
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Opinion
Roundtable: How can schemes prepare for uncertainty in fixed income?
What does the end of an unprecedented era of quantitative easing have in store for interest rates, and how should increasingly mature defined benefit schemes adapt? PGIM’s Edward Farley, Barnett Waddingham’s Sophia Heathcoat, MJ Hudson Allenbridge’s Anthony Fletcher, Independent Trustee Services’ Dinesh Visavadia, Bestrustees’ Graham Wardle and independent trustee Alexandra Martinez discuss.
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Opinion
Reasons to be cheerful: What to expect from markets in 2018
There were two big positive surprises in 2017.
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Opinion
In the same boat?
Editorial: As sales of adult incontinence pads in Japan have reportedly overtaken infant nappies, the effects of demographic change have implications beyond supermarkets’ toiletry shelves.
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Opinion
Here to stay? Low interest rates and fixed income investing
Are low interest rates here to stay, and how can pension funds invest in bonds in this environment? In this first part of the Fixed Income Live series, Dalriada's Simon Cohen, Hymans Robertson's John Walbaum, Mercer's Joe Abrams, PGIM's Edward Farley and Willis Towers Watson's Chris Redmond discuss where rates are going and what this means for schemes.
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Opinion
Understanding interest rates is key to assessing their impact
From the blog: Changes in interest rates, and more specifically bond yields, can have profound influences on defined benefit and defined contribution schemes, so it is important trustees understand how they work.
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News
Low for longer (but longing for higher) rates
Analysis: The US Federal Reserve’s decision on Wednesday to push rates up may mark the end of an era, but investment experts say UK pension funds should expect little more than a small amount of volatility as a result.
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News
Developed markets show strength as hunt for yield changes course
NAPF 2015: Disappointing economic recovery, low inflation and rock-bottom interest rates but rising asset markets are what pension funds can expect over the coming years, JPMorgan’s chief market strategist for the UK and Europe Stephanie Flanders said at the NAPF Annual Conference 2015 on Wednesday.
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Opinion
The butterfly effect – How to take cover and control
Chinese equity shocks captured the headlines over the summer but UK pension funds should equip themselves for a deeper period of entrenched low-growth.
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Opinion
What fixed income ETFs can bring to your portfolio
Low yields and unpredictable markets make life difficult for fixed income investors. BlackRock’s Brett Olson asks whether ETFs could provide some relief.
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Opinion
What does the recent equity volatility mean for DC schemes?
From the blog: The week of August 24 was a particularly interesting one, with global equity markets experiencing their most significant fall since 2011.
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Opinion
When the tide goes out…
Editorial: What a fortnight for pension fund investors. As China failed to stem its stock market rout, bourses the world over shed points as concern peaked that the brakes were being put on growth for the economic powerhouse.
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Opinion
Why uncertainty will typify markets this year
Last year was a good one for many pension funds, with markets producing decent returns at low-ish levels of volatility.
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Opinion
Riding out the taper: how the Fed’s policies affect your scheme
Yields are rising as central banks look to extricate themselves from the markets, but 2014 may not be that simple.
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News
Investment peaks as schemes buy cheaper gilts
News analysis: UK pension funds hit a record of £17bn of net investments during the second quarter, largely as a result of schemes taking advantage of lower bond prices, according to data from the Office for National Statistics.
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Opinion
EMD report: how to take advantage of the market dip
While emerging market assets have been battered in recent weeks, the debt sell-off could in fact provide added opportunity for pension schemes.