All Features articles – Page 13
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Features
Should schemes become more eurosceptic?
Analysis: Trustees may be tempted to act upon the past few weeks’ eurozone headlines, which have detailed sweeping geopolitical change across Italy and Spain and frightened investors in the process.
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Features
Isle of Wight fund tackles 'problematic' data records
The Isle of Wight Pension Fund has implemented an improvement plan in relation to approximately 1,500 records containing “significantly problematic” conditional data, as it grapples with longstanding issues over member information.
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Features
How should schemes appoint their MNTs?
Trustees are required under the Pensions Act 2004 to make sure that at least one-third of trustees, or at least one-third of directors of the trustee company, are nominated by the scheme membership. But what is the best way to appoint member-nominated trustees?
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FeaturesWest Midlands to divest from arms manufacturer
The West Midlands Pension Fund has agreed to divest from South Korean arms manufacturer Hanwha Corporation after years of sustained pressure on the company from institutional investors across the globe in relation to cluster munitions.
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FeaturesHaringey to swap passive equities for multi-factor strategy
The London Borough of Haringey Pension Fund has agreed to convert nearly half of its equity allocation from a passive fund into a multi-factor global strategy. It has also recently trimmed an overweight position in equities into its multi-asset absolute return and credit strategies.
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Features
Liquid alternatives: How diversified is your DC default?
Analysis: Defined contribution default funds are facing the unenviable task of constructing diversified portfolios with limited budgets and a requirement for liquidity. Could liquid alternatives help?
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FeaturesKent stands by Neil Woodford despite massive underperformance
Despite concerns over the performance of its UK equities mandate with Woodford Investment Management, the Kent County Council Superannuation Fund has elected to retain its mandate with the embattled asset manager.
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Features
Strathclyde ups commitment to emerging market debt
The Strathclyde Pension Fund has nearly doubled its investment in emerging market debt as part of a drive to diversify its portfolio and participate in 'the growth story' of emerging economies.
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Features
Are diversified growth funds the place to be?
Analysis: Experts remain divided over the value offered by diversified growth funds. While DGFs offer a source of return that comes with reduced risk and daily pricing, they have come in for criticism in recent years over a perceived lack of performance and value.
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Features
Which schemes are destined for the PPF?
The majority of smaller stressed defined benefit schemes are likely to end up in the Pension Protection Fund, according to consultancy Barnett Waddingham, as it raised concerns that the Pensions Regulator's new tougher stance may remove vital flexibility from the system.
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Features
Asos staff to have choice between pension and Lisa
Online clothing retailer Asos has issued a request for proposal for a new flexible employee savings provider, after it decided to let staff choose whether to focus on saving for retirement or shorter-term goals.
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Features
Cumbria implements equity protection strategy
The Cumbria County Council Pension Fund has joined the ranks of local authorities hedging their equity downside with an equity protection strategy. Nearly £1.1bn of the fund’s equities will be covered by the arrangement.
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Features
Should pension schemes become more litigious?
In 2009, the Royal Bank of Scotland admitted that it had incurred billions of dollars in losses in relation to its subprime exposures and acquisition of Dutch bank ABN Amro.
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Features
Has the industry kept its promise on at-retirement innovation?
Analysis: When the Department for Work and Pensions allowed the industry to block mastertrust Nest from entering the drawdown market in 2017, it did so with a proviso; the industry had to drive innovation itself.
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FeaturesHertfordshire bungles scheme actuarial reports
More than one hundred academies and colleges participating in the Hertfordshire County Council Pension Fund have been sent erroneous actuarial reports. These were subsequently used in the preparation of their own financial accounts.
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FeaturesHounslow drops Capita and heads for West Yorks
The £991m London Borough of Hounslow Pension Fund will enter into an administrative partnership with the West Yorkshire Pension Fund following the imminent conclusion of its contract with third-party administrator Capita.
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Features
Warwickshire cuts hedge funds from portfolio
The £2.1bn Warwickshire County Council Pension Fund has sold off its hedge fund allocation in anticipation of its move into the Border to Coast Pensions Partnership.
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FeaturesGo-Ahead pension scheme moves from RPI to CPI
Transport operator Go-Ahead has cut its pension liabilities by about £40m by changing the inflation measure used for its bus workers’ final salary scheme.
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Features
Pearson follows pack in targeting drawdown for DC defaults
The Pearson Pension Plan is introducing two new lifestyle options for its defined contribution members as they approach retirement, responding to a perceived demand for greater flexibility.
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Features
Should we be worried about public sector pensions?
Analysis: A combination of weak economic growth, growing inflation and lofty discount rates may threaten unfunded public sector defined benefit schemes.