All Infrastructure articles – Page 4
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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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NewsAccess pool appoints illiquids alternatives consultant
On the go: The Access pool, which handles £32.6bn in pension assets for 11 Local Government Pension Scheme funds worth a collective £55.6bn, has selected MJ Hudson as its implementation adviser for the pooling of illiquid assets.
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PodcastsPodcast: DC focus must ‘fundamentally shift’ from costs to value in 2022
Podcast: The focus on defined contribution scheme offerings must “fundamentally shift” from costs to value for money in 2022 if better outcomes are to be achieved. Darren Philp, director of policy and communication at Smart Pension, and Mike Ambery, partner at Hymans Robertson, discuss the DC outlook, expanding auto-enrolment, and reforming Solvency II.
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NewsBorder to Coast increases investments in private markets
On the go: The £34.6bn Border to Coast Pensions Partnership, which handles the assets of 11 Local Government Pension Scheme funds worth a collective of £55bn, has committed a further £1.2bn to private markets.
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NewsSolvency II reform could unlock ‘tens of billions’ in investments
On the go: The reform of the EU’s Solvency II requirements would unlock a “Brexit bonus” amounting to “tens of billions” of pounds in long-term infrastructure investment, according to a new report from the Pension Insurance Corporation.
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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.
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OpinionSchemes need to consider illiquids in endgame scenarios
Natalie Winterfrost, investment committee member at the Society of Pension Professionals, explains how schemes targeting endgame plans can still invest in illiquid assets, as these provide additional yields and diversify the investment portfolio.
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NewsDC schemes could allocate almost half of assets to illiquids
On the go: Defined contribution schemes could allocate up to 40 per cent of assets to illiquids for younger members to help improve their outcomes, according to new research from Hymans Robertson.
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NewsUSS increases Thames Water stake
On the go: The £82.2bn Universities Superannuation Scheme has made an additional investment in utility company Thames Water, increasing its holdings in the business to almost 20 per cent.
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NewsPension funds ‘outcompeted’ on UK green infrastructure investments
Sky-high demand for UK green infrastructure assets means pension funds are often unable to invest as much as they would like in the asset class, industry figures have argued.
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OpinionAre alternatives a good substitute to bonds for pension schemes?
HSBC Asset Management’s Maria Ryan explains why pension schemes are increasingly considering adding alternative assets to their portfolios, and the considerations trustees must take into account when investing in these assets.
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NewsGreater Manchester Pension Fund awards £700m mandate
On the go: The £27.6bn Greater Manchester Pension Fund has appointed Schroders Capital to manage its diversified direct real estate portfolio, worth more than £700m.
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NewsBorder to Coast to launch £1.3bn Listed Alternatives Fund
On the go: The Border to Coast Pensions Partnership, which handles the assets of 11 Local Government Pension Schemes worth a collective £55bn, has announced it is set to launch a £1.3bn Listed Alternatives Fund.
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NewsBudget 2021: Sunak announces further changes to DC charge cap
Chancellor of the exchequer Rishi Sunak announced on Wednesday that the government will consult “within the next month” on further changes to the charge cap intended to encourage more investment in illiquid assets by defined contribution schemes. But experts have said this is “missing the point”.
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NewsCushon launches new private markets investment strategy
On the go: Master trust Cushon has launched a new investment strategy that will see a 15 per cent allocation to private markets, in an attempt to “reduce investment risk”.
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NewsTPR to demand more asset information from schemes in 2023
The Pensions Regulator has confirmed it will press on with reforming the asset class information it collects via the scheme return, in a consultation response published on Thursday.
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PodcastsPodcast: Mandating net zero could ‘cut straight through’ fiduciary duties
Podcast: The government mandating default funds be aligned with ‘net zero’ would be a way around concerns about fiduciary responsibility, but there are questions about what this would mean in practice. Stuart O’Brien, partner at Sackers, and Gareth Stears, pensions technical consultant at Aries Insight, discuss environmental, social and governance issues, social housing, and the Pensions Regulator’s controversial criminal powers.
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NewsPension funds poised to help social housing crisis
The pension fund industry could deploy its capital and expertise to revitalise everyday services such as social housing and infrastructure, after ambitious government plans to grow sectors have fallen short in recent years.
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NewsNest to invest 5% of assets in private equity
On the go: The government-backed master trust Nest plans to allocate 5 per cent of its total assets to private equity, which is estimated to be worth £1.5bn by the end of 2024.
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NewsHaringey Council scheme commits to London Fund
On the go: The circa £1.6bn London Borough of Haringey Council Pension Fund has invested £45m in The London Fund, the property and infrastructure fund established by the London CIV and Local Pensions Partnership.