All Mercer articles – Page 12
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Features
Nationwide builds inflation hedge, ups matching assets to derisk
Nationwide Pension Fund has reduced its exposure to return-seeking assets and carried out its first significant inflation hedge, as capital adequacy rules drive banking and building society sponsors to reduce funding volatility.
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News
Schemes eye forward rates to time hedge moves
Larger schemes are showing greater interest in using forward rather than spot rates to assess whether to increase their interest and inflation hedges, in order to gain a more accurate picture of fair value.
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News
Tenth of employers weigh up medium-term DC drawdown offering
One in 10 UK employers have said they will offer members post-retirement drawdown facilities within their defined contribution scheme in three to five years, according to a poll, but advisers still doubt trustees’ desire to govern such provision.
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News
Schemes have scope to delve deeper into illiquids, but confidence lacking
Defined benefit schemes are showing increased interest in illiquid alternatives as they hunt greater yield and diversification, but many lack sufficient resources and the confidence needed to execute such investments.
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News
Covenant-lite market expands as small schemes digest DB code
Small and medium-sized employers’ pension schemes are finding greater access to pared-down, lower-cost covenant assessments following the Pensions Regulator’s revised defined benefit code of practice, which has increased focus on employer strength.
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Opinion
Checking the price tag: evaluating the charges obsession
Data analysis: The Budget reforms signal an age of greater plurality in retirement possibilities for members.
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Opinion
In defence of the regulator’s DC code, six months on
In the latest edition of Informed Comment, Mercer’s Rachel Brougham mounts a robust defence of the quality features enshrined in the Pensions Regulator’s DC code.
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FeaturesTrinity's second bite of comms cherry gets 60% hit rate
The £100m Trinity Mirror Pension Plan’s second attempt at a communications exercise to encourage additional contributions, to make up for the employer's decision to reduce payments, resulted in a 60 per cent take-up among the 1,000 members targeted.
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NewsAMNT: Oz-style 'supers' could emerge from latest UK reforms
The Association of Member Nominated Trustees has said ‘to-and-through’ retirement options could pave the way for Australian-style superannuation schemes, if employers are willing to take on any additional governance burden that a post-retirement commitment could create.
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NewsGilt yield falls confound expectations and depress funding
Investment advisers have been taken by surprise by the recent drop in government bond yields which have inflated schemes’ liabilities and delayed derisking strategies.
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Features
Mercer parent shuts DB scheme to equalise benefits
Marsh & McLennan Companies, the US-based parent of global consultancy Mercer, has decided to close its UK defined benefit scheme to future accrual in a stated attempt to create a level playing field between employees.
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News
Disclose hidden transaction costs, report urges asset managers
Asset managers should disclose the full transaction costs rather than just the headline annual management charge, the Pensions Institute has urged, to allow investors to assess the value of their investments.
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News
Schemes up proxy matching assets to avoid low-yield bonds
Schemes are seeking proxies for traditional matching assets, investment data have shown, as low yields in fixed income make some investors reticent about implementing liability-driven investment strategies.
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News
Schemes consider currency overlay to mitigate fluctuations as economies recover
Schemes are considering implementing currency hedges on risky assets as investment experts predict currency adjustments after a long period of relative stability in the developed world.
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Opinion
Why buy-ins/buyouts are not always the right answer
Bulk annuity contracts such as buy-ins can actually increase a pension scheme’s overall risk, argues Mercer’s Andrew Ward, who looks at the alternatives to these deals in the latest Informed Comment.
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News
Micro scheme membership slumps as market consolidates
Data analysis: The total membership of small schemes with between two and 11 members has fallen by two-thirds over recent years as the market consolidates and auto-enrolment beds in.
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Features
Encouraging trustees to embrace sustainability
News analysis: Industry experts are coming up with inventive ways to help schemes allocate more of their assets towards sustainable and responsible investments, but pension funds are lagging behind.
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Features
The DC Debate – improving retirement income
This quarter's debate sees experts discuss the gender gap, decumulation and illiquidity, as schemes strive to attain the best outcome for members close to retirement age.
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News
MNOPF increases contributions to secure benefits
The Merchant Navy Officers Pension Fund has increased employer and member contributions to the new section of its defined benefit scheme to strengthen its ability to pay future benefits.
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News
United Utilities: charge cap could shield members
United Utilities' pension manager has voiced support for a cap on fees as it would protect default fund members from the decisions of their smaller and potentially less well-informed employers.