All articles by Maxine Kelly – Page 6
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News
Interest rate uncertainty a concern for employer covenants
Interest rate rises could have a negative effect on covenant strength as some companies are forced to refinance at higher rates, advisers have said, and trustees should keep a watching brief to mitigate any resultant impact on their sponsors' ability to pay scheme contributions.
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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
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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NewsReturning volatility could threaten illiquid fixed income holdings, experts say
Pension scheme investors holding illiquid fixed income assets should beware the effects should increased volatility in global financial markets return, bond experts have urged.
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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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News
Fifth of smaller employers failing to prepare for AE
One in five small businesses are not currently preparing for auto-enrolment, research has shown, as concern grows around smaller employers’ ability to comply with the legislation.
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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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News
PPF assesses out-of-cycle valuations for schemes affected by 'money purchase' definition
The Pension Protection Fund launched a consultation last week to assess the material change in risk to the lifeboat brought about by the changes to the definition of money purchase benefits, which will come into force later this year.
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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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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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NewsSPC president-elect Buchanan makes historic DC changes a priority
The Society of Pension Consultants has announced Duncan Buchanan as its president-elect, succeeding Pan Trustees director Roger Mattingly, who has been in the role since June 2012.
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News
SME 'genuinely worried' about Budget impact on engagement
A British manufacturer has raised concerns about how the greater retirement flexibility announced in the Budget will impact the success of workplace saving and auto-enrolment, saying employees will need more help to navigate the system.
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NewsBattle to plug deficits continues as FTSE 100 see £8bn deterioration
The total pension deficit of FTSE 100 defined benefit schemes worsened by an estimated £8bn, bringing the total to £57bn at the end of 2013, according to research, but experts maintain larger schemes are managing their risk exposures effectively.
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News
Pension funds drive property surge as index linkage takes off
Schemes are looking towards property for further diversification, having expanded alternative property investments fivefold last year, as experts predict improved economic sentiment and a lack of development sites could stimulate rental growth.
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News
Experts call for smart beta credit to meet diversification demand
Alternative fixed income indices could be the next frontier in smart beta investing for pension schemes, industry experts have said, calling for a shift in focus away from equity strategies.
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News
Multi-asset exposure surges as schemes focus on volatility
The proportion of pension schemes with multi-asset fund exposure has risen to 83 per cent, up from 70 per cent just six months ago, as schemes look to control volatility and mitigate macroeconomic risk.
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NewsOnly a third of workers alerted to AE by employer
Data analysis: Nearly two-thirds of workers heard about auto-enrolment through the media rather than from their workplace, sparking concerns that employers are not playing a strong enough role in communicating the reform.
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News
Civil partner rule uncertainty poses questions for trustees
Schemes may want to consider holding off adjusting their spousal benefits, after a tribunal overturned a previous ruling that deemed entitlements should take into account membership pre-dating the Civil Partnership Act 2004.
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News
Consultant-provider collaborations create AE quandary
News analysis: Employers and schemes approaching auto-enrolment face a unique governance challenge as consultants and providers club together to provide off-the-shelf products, with industry commentators raising questions on independence and cost.
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NewsRSPB sees 17.5% opt-out in 'mixed' AE response
The bird protection charity RSPB has revealed a 17.5 per cent opt-out rate since auto-enrolment in November, as smaller organisations start to push up the proportion of workers declining workplace saving.