All Mercer articles – Page 9
-
FeaturesStrathclyde earmarks £750m for MAC and private debt
The Strathclyde Pension Fund has made large allocations to both private debt and multi-asset credit as it looks to take advantage of the growth in non-bank intermediaries.
-
News
Nest drawdown proposals: Competitors fear disruption
The dust has settled on government's call for evidence on the expansion of Nest into the drawdown market, but it seems the war of words between industry professionals is far from over.
-
FeaturesPirelli announces £600m longevity swaps as deal flow set to accelerate
Italian tyre manufacturer Pirelli’s two main UK pension schemes have agreed longevity swaps covering £600m of pensioner liabilities, as researchers have suggested market volatility and insurer competition mean schemes could see attractive prices emerge on risk settlement products.
-
OpinionHow should schemes use mortality studies
Michael Kelly and Asha Suresh outline the best ways to run mortality studies, and why they are so important for your scheme.
-
OpinionThe final frontier: Promises of EMD performance
EMD survey: Performance is what drives investors towards – and at times away from – emerging market debt. For pension funds, the hard numbers count, so how has the asset class fared recently?
-
Opinion
A glass half full: How investor sentiment towards EMD is changing
EMD survey: A higher birth rate and a growing middle class eager to spend money on goods and services are often touted benefits of investment in emerging markets, but something else is driving flows as well.
-
News
Select committee seeks views on expanding regulator powers
The Work and Pensions Committee is to consider amending the powers of the Pensions Regulator and the make-up of the Pension Protection Fund as part of its ongoing inquiry into the Pension Protection Fund and the Pensions Regulator following the collapse of BHS.
-
Features
LPP pools £1.2bn of property amid investor fears over asset class
The Local Pensions Partnership has created a £1.2bn property pool between the London Pensions Fund Authority and Lancashire County Pension Fund as experts have urged schemes not to panic over the recent gating of UK retail property funds.
-
OpinionTransaction costs – is there a problem, and how can it be solved?
Mercer Investments’ Stanko Milojevic explains how investors can avoid paying too much for transactions.
-
News
What will the Leave vote mean for Project Pool?
As the July 15 deadline for local government pension schemes to submit their asset pooling proposals approaches, experts have warned local schemes to expect delays to ‘Project Pool’ following the Brexit vote, but cautioned other obstacles might also arise.
-
News
Active debt management key to exploiting bond opportunities
Schemes hunting for cash flow in a record-low gilt yield environment are turning to corporate bonds, emerging markets and active management of their debt portfolios, a study has revealed.
-
News
MPs press government to incentivise ESG investment
Pension funds should do more to incorporate environmental, social and governance considerations into their investment decisions, a report by the House of Commons’ International Development Committee last week suggested.
-
OpinionWhat role can property play in a pension fund portfolio?
The ability of property to perform more than one function within an investment portfolio could prove invaluable during slow market growth, says Mercer’s Paul Richards.
-
OpinionThe future is not what it used to be
From the blog: Last month some 130 world leaders travelled to New York to formally sign the Paris Agreement, sending a powerful signal to the investment community that now is the time to shift assets towards the low-carbon economy.
-
OpinionDiscount rates and denial: Will local authorities soon see pension costs rise?
The last couple of Budgets have focused on freedom and choice, but March brought a little surprise for the public sector, and it is one it would probably have preferred to do without.
-
OpinionOpportunities, risks and manager selection in fixed income
Fixed Income Live: Five industry experts discuss fixed income investment – the direction of interest rates, where the opportunities lie and how schemes can make sure they get the right manager to profit from them.
-
Opinion
How schemes can pick the right manager
How can schemes know which manager will perform? In the last 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 whether schemes should let their consultant worry about finding the right specialists and what trustees should be spending their time on.
-
Features
Weir Group cuts deficit contributions with 15-year funding vehicle
Weir Group established a Scottish Limited Partnership with the trustee of its main defined benefit scheme last year, allowing the group to reduce its deficit recovery payments while adding to the security of members’ benefits.
-
Opinion
Are there still areas of fixed income that provide value?
Are there still areas of fixed income that provide value? In the second part of our 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 reveal where they see the best investment opportunities.
-
OpinionWould Brexit mean less red tape for UK schemes?
Analysis: The volume of European regulatory changes has radically increased the governance burden on UK pension schemes in recent years; voting to leave the European Union must be tempting for trustees keen to cut the red tape.