Latest articles from Angus Peters

Covid-19: Gold not foolproof as DB sponsors hold up

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Market moves: Research suggests investors seeking the hedging of gold must be prepared to accept volatility, while a professional trustee company reassures over the state of defined benefit sponsors. 

Covid-19 leads to transfer values chaos

On the go: Market volatility resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic has led to wild swings in the value of defined benefit pensions, causing headaches for members considering a transfer.

Co-op buys in £400m on back of widened spreads

On the go: The Co-operative Pension Scheme has agreed a £400m buy-in with the Pension insurance Corporation, covering the pensions of around 2,000 members.

Global Pensions Wrap: April edition

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From Moody’s predictions for near $1tn losses for US public pension funds, to Japan’s GPIF’s $1.4tn rebalancing measures. Read our round-up of pensions and finance news from the FT’s global outlets.

Border to Coast adds fixed income capability

On the go: The Border to Coast Pensions Partnership has added fixed income capability to its offering, seeding the fund with £2.5bn of capital from partner funds.

Covid-19: As pension freedoms turn 5, consultants glimpse hope

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Consultants sounded an optimistic note on Tuesday, urging clients to rebalance equity portfolios ahead of a bounceback and explore high-yield credit opportunities. Meanwhile, the fifth anniversary of freedom and choice proves the policy’s enduring popularity.

TPR will not seek to punish trustees over tough pandemic decisions

Regulatory executive David Fairs has reassured defined benefit trustees that they will not be pursued over decisions they make in response to employers struggling in the wake of Covid-19.

Covid-19: Will Sunak’s latest stimulus aid DB sponsors?

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Market moves: Chancellor Rishi Sunak is reportedly considering measures to help the “squeezed middle” of UK corporates, while US president Donald Trump’s tweets set off a spike in oil prices.

Covid-19: Volatility returns to markets after UK banks scrap dividends

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While UK banks suspended dividend payments amid pressure from the regulator, European markets returned to volatile conditions. Meanwhile, FTSE 350 companies’ defined benefit schemes reached an accounting surplus.

Opportunity knocks, but can active managers actually capitalise?

Data crunch: Analysis suggests that under current conditions stock pickers could theoretically achieve healthy outperformance of their benchmarks. But with the consequences of getting it wrong equally elevated, can they actually select the winners, and can schemes pick the right managers?