All hedging articles

  • News

    Pensions industry: Week in brief

    2023-07-27T00:00:00Z

    LGPS staff are concerned about resources, according to an PLSA survey: while Broadstone predicts a bumper second half of the year for buyouts: questions over the FCA's consumer duty and a £200m property deal between SLIP and PIC, here's the news you may have missed this week.

  • News on the go
    News

    Fiduciary managers rip up schemes’ investment guidelines

    2022-11-04T00:00:00Z

    On the go: Some fiduciary managers have altered investment guidelines for all of their clients in light of October’s market turmoil, which saw schemes scramble for liquidity in response to collateral calls from liability-driven investment managers.

  • Risk Watch
    News

    Aerospace scheme secures buy-in, baking co-op derisks with L&G

    2022-10-28T00:00:00Z

    Risk watch: A round up of the latest derisking transactions, including the Cobham Pension Plan £530mn bulk annuity deal with Standard Life, and the Flour Milling and Baking Research Association Pension and Assurance Scheme £10mn assured payment policy.

  • EPA/Andy Rain
    News

    Experts warn DWP rules could lead more schemes to LDI

    2022-10-13T00:00:00Z

    With pension funds still dealing with the current market turmoil, experts point out the government’s proposed rules for defined benefit funding could force schemes into an even lower-risk environment, increasing the need for liability-driven investments.

  • Dreamstime
    News

    LDI fund managers look to lower leverage in wake of market turmoil

    2022-10-10T00:00:00Z

    Managers of liability-driven investments are likely to reduce the level of leverage used in their funds in the aftermath of the Bank of England’s intervention, investment consultants say.

  • Alexsl/iStock
    News

    Could gilt market shock push schemes towards insurers over LDI?

    2022-10-05T00:00:00Z

    The market shock prompted by the government’s “mini” Budget could see a shift away from liability-driven investment strategies and toward insurance deals, experts have suggested.

  • David Brooks
    Opinion

    Seven days in pensions

    2022-09-30T00:00:00Z

    Seven days ago (September 23) we pondered a “mini” Budget, the day after the latest interest rate rise to 2.25 per cent.

  • Market moves
    News

    LDI: Mercer dismisses DB scheme solvency concerns

    2022-09-30T00:00:00Z

    Market moves: Consultancy Mercer has hit out at media reports that suggested the solvency of defined benefit pension schemes came under threat this week, while LGPS Central points out investment opportunities, and Hymans Robertson issues guidance on liability-driven investments and collateral needs.

  • Reuters/Maja Smiejkowska
    News

    Bank of England buys gilts to protect pension funds

    2022-09-28T00:00:00Z

    The Bank of England has commenced a round of government bond purchases in an attempt to stabilise markets, after falling government bond prices prompted collateral calls for pension funds.

  • News on the go
    News

    DB members could lose £25,000 to inflation increase caps

    2022-09-14T00:00:00Z

    On the go: Members could stand to lose out on £1,200 a year due to caps on inflationary increases in defined benefit schemes, amounting to £25,000 of missed income over a lifetime, according to analysis from XPS Pensions Group.

  • John Sibley/Reuters
    News

    Schemes urged to revisit buyout plans in rising rate environment

    2022-09-01T00:00:00Z

    Rising interest rates and the subsequent fall in liability valuations and deficits have now made buyouts more affordable for a larger number of pension funds, with consultants urging schemes to restructure their investment strategy to make it more palatable to an insurance company.

  • News on the go
    News

    Inflation may hinder asset-liability matching, warns IFoA

    2022-08-31T00:00:00Z

    On the go: Soaring inflation may prevent actuaries from being able to match schemes’ underlying liabilities with appropriate assets, with costs set to increase, the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries has warned.

  • Alexsl/iStock
    News

    Rising rates pose challenges for closed DB schemes’ LDI portfolios

    2022-08-23T00:00:00Z

    While interest rate and inflation hedges have helped many defined benefit schemes stabilise their funding positions, the current macroeconomic environment is creating challenges for some closed plans, which might not have the necessary collateral in place to meet high payments.

  • News on the go
    News

    TPR: ‘Keep asking questions’ about investment strategies

    2022-08-16T00:00:00Z

    On the go: The current economic malaise, and especially the impact on liability-driven investments now interest rates are rising, proves it is especially important that trustees continue to ask questions about their investment strategies, even if they seem “silly”, says Fred Berry, the Pensions Regulator’s lead investment consultant.

  • Pexels
    News

    Pandemic damage mitigated as quarter of schemes are in surplus

    2022-07-28T00:00:00Z

    More than a quarter (27 per cent) of defined benefit and hybrid schemes with tranche 15 valuations were in surplus on a technical provisions basis, despite the market shock of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the Pensions Regulator’s latest scheme funding analysis.

  • John Sibley/Reuters
    News

    Aon and Mercer issue ‘urgent’ call to action over LDI strategies

    2022-07-04T00:00:00Z

    Consultancies Aon and Mercer have urged pension schemes, trustees and sponsors to prepare to intervene to protect their schemes, as bond market volatility puts strain on liability-driven investment strategies.

  • Alexsl/iStock
    News

    Cost of discretionary increases to combat inflation could hit £18bn

    2022-06-22T00:00:00Z

    The cost of awarding discretionary increases to members could now add £18bn to defined benefit schemes' liabilities, experts have warned, as inflation continues to rise.

  • Fotoware
    News

    Electricity pensioners launch campaign amid inflation fears

    2022-05-05T00:00:00Z

    The Association of Electricity Supply Pensioners has launched a campaign to protect the benefits of more than 100,000 members of the Electricity Supply Pension Scheme, amid fears that pension increases that do not match inflation could amount to significant losses.

  • Jeremy Rideau
    Opinion

    Unprecedented DB scheme funding levels: Is this as good as it gets?

    2022-02-25T00:00:00Z

    For the first time in nearly two decades, aggregate funding ratios for UK defined benefit schemes are at historic highs.

  • News on the go
    News

    Interest rate rise could cut £100bn from DB liabilities

    2022-02-04T00:00:00Z

    On the go: The Bank of England’s decision to raise interest rates could see up to £100bn in long-term liabilities removed from UK pension schemes, XPS Pensions has estimated.