All articles by Benjamin Mercer – Page 34
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Small-cap UK active equity funds find some success in H1 2020
On the go: Just over half of all UK active equity funds have equalled or beaten benchmark returns before fees in the first half of 2020, while 45 per cent trailed behind the S&P UK Broad Market Index.
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Charity participants in LGPS face going concern issues
An Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland report laying out guidance for charity trustees on going concern has prompted a second look at their participation in the Local Government Pension Scheme, with experts warning that many could face crippling debt payments as they run out of members.
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South Yorkshire pensions to go green by 2030
On the go: The South Yorkshire Pensions Authority, responsible for administering the county’s £9bn local authority pension scheme for its 160,000 members, has adopted a net-zero by 2030 policy to govern its portfolio.
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Housing associations could face significant contribution hikes
On the go: The upcoming Social Housing Pension Scheme valuation could reveal a deficit of £1.5bn, almost £500m higher than expected following the last valuation in 2017, according to a report from LCP.
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2020 risk settlement market could hit £50bn
On the go: Despite the turmoil caused by coronavirus and the government’s lockdown policy, 2020 could still be a record-setting year for the risk settlement market, with final volumes reaching or even exceeding £50bn, according to estimates from Aon.
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CDC pensions ‘would be 70% higher’ than traditional DC
On the go: A new guide published by Willis Towers Watson estimates that collective defined contribution pensions would be on average 70 per cent higher than traditional defined contribution, and 40 per cent higher than typical defined benefit schemes.
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LGPS wades into Israel-Palestine row with UN blacklist engagements
At least two Local Government Pension Scheme funds are undertaking engagements with companies linked to contested Israeli settlements, Pensions Expert can reveal.
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Aon warns USS consultation could confuse employers
Aon has warned that the consultation document presented by the trustee of the Universities Superannuation Scheme will be of only limited use to employers, and may leave some unable to make vital decisions.
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PodcastsPodcast: Arguments for DC consolidation stronger than for DB
Podcast: The pace of defined contribution consolidation could accelerate on the other side of the coronavirus pandemic, but mergers are a less obvious boon for define benefit, say Squire Patton Boggs partner Kirsty Bartlett and Hadassah Shulman, senior associate at Taylor Wessing.
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Fund managers’ ESG claims outperform reality
A third of asset managers are still not engaging on climate change, according to analysis by Redington. But of those that do, experts warn that their environmental, social and governance ratings may not be all that they appear.
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Scheme members wait on up to £25,000 from GMP equalisation
On the go: Some defined benefit scheme members could still be waiting on payments of up to £25,000 resulting from guaranteed minimum pension equalisation, according to research by XPS Pensions.
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Eviction ‘holiday’ poses threat to schemes’ property investments
The government’s extension of a measure designed to provide relief to struggling tenants could adversely affect pension scheme property investments, especially where the scheme acts as a landlord, experts have warned.
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TPR’s new guidance on mandatory AE reporting causes confusion
Updated guidance from the Pensions Regulator will see the 90-day limit for reporting late payments becoming mandatory from April 2021. However, the wording of the guidance has caused some confusion, with schemes being asked to make the adjustment for January 1.
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Mercer launches DB master trust as demand for consolidation increases
Mercer has launched a new defined benefit master trust promising sponsors enhanced governance and economies of scale, amid an accelerating trend towards consolidation and outsourced solutions, with pensions minister Guy Opperman stating that “bigger is better”.
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Credit downgrades pose ‘serious challenge’ for pension schemes
On the go: A decrease in the average credit quality of fixed income indices, coupled with increased competition for high-quality assets, poses significant challenges for pensions schemes, according to Axa Investment Managers.
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Covid and regulatory burdens push building society to outsource scheme
With the work of lay trustees becoming more complex, and the pandemic highlighting other areas in need of sponsors’ attention, the Furness Building Society has opted to outsource services for its defined benefit scheme, a trend that is expected to accelerate.
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DB schemes over-reliant on ‘historically improbable’ returns
On the go: Underfunded defined benefit schemes in the UK will require “once-in-a-century” equity performance if they are to avoid carrying their funding gaps well into the 2030s, according to a new report from Willis Towers Watson.
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Smaller schemes to prove value for members or face consolidation
Defined contribution schemes with assets below £100m will have to prove their value for members, or face being advised to wind up or consolidate, according to new rules proposed by the Department for Work and Pensions.
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Rail sector pension plan staring down £15bn black hole
On the go: The largest pension scheme serving the UK’s rail sector is standing on the event horizon of a £15bn black hole created by changes to its funding rules, the Financial Times has reported.
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Bulk annuity volumes hit £12.6bn in H1 2020
On the go: Total buy-in and buyout volumes reached £12.6bn in the first half of this year, the second-highest value on record, according to analysis published by LCP.