Gail Moss
Reporter
Special ReportFiduciary management special report: Has the UK peaked?
After years of growth throughout the 2010s, the number of fiduciary mandates has levelled off. Will trustees still opt for fiduciary now that insurance risk transfer is cheaper and consolidator funds have received the green light?
AnalysisIreland’s new sovereign wealth fund
The planned Future Ireland Fund (FIF) aims to cover expected future costs such as pensions and healthcare
Special ReportClass actions: Is Europe catching up with the US?
Europe’s institutional investors are latching on to the rewards of joining class actions against investee companies. Many of these are securities lawsuits, pursued when a publicly listed company has not properly disclosed or has misrepresented significant information, affecting the share price when the truth emerges. But so far, the vast majority of these have been in the US. In 2022, nearly $4.9bn (€4.6bn) was recovered in the US courts, according to Institutional Shareholder Services. So, what about class actions in Europe? “The US has had a class action system for over a hundred years that can be adopted for almost every cause of action, whereas the UK has only had class actions since 2015 and it is only available for competition cases,” says Harry McGowan, partner in the securities litigation department at law firm Stewarts.
Country ReportSpanish pensions report 2023: funds ride a wave of uncertainty
Diversification remains a key tool in pension fund portfolios
NewsSpanish pension funds mirror global market surges with 2.3% return to June 2023
Asset allocation figures show that fixed income still dominates portfolios, although in declining proportions, with an average 55.3% allocation at end-June
NewsCEO commitment on mental health lacking, CCLA global benchmark shows
There is a clear economic case for investment in mental health at work, says CCLA stewardship lead
NewsPortuguese pension funds return 1.6% for Q2 2023
Global equities had the highest impact on performance over the quarter, with returns close to 6%, according to WTW
NewsBelgian pension funds bounce back with 4.5% H1 return
PensioPlus attributed the improved returns to an investment policy focused on long-term investments in the real economy
Country ReportClouds on the horizon for the fiduciary model in the Netherlands
Demand for fiduciary services has been buoyant but there are few predictions for a healthy future pipeline as the pension transition deadline approaches
NewsUK buyout market to grow to £60bn per year, say pension professionals
The SPP expects schemes to focus on resilience, against rising interest rates, defaults and longevity
NewsEuropean trade associations slam active account requirement
Further efforts should focus on streamlining the supervisory framework for EU central counterparties across member states
InterviewsPension funds on the record: The investors developing their own index methodologies
FRR and PUBLICA are among the growing number of European pension funds developing proprietary benchmarks to achieve their sustainability objectives
Country ReportNew pension rules set to transform France
After much opposition, profound changes to the retirement system take effect this month
Special ReportDenmark: Early retirement rules face further overaul
Arne, a new regime to allow workers in strenuous jobs to retire early may be merged with a more popular scheme
Special ReportFrance: Macron’s major pension reforms take effect
September sees the enactment of controversial retirement reforms passed by presidential decree earlier this year, bringing 42 occupational regimes together
Special ReportIceland: Government faces pension fund ire over housing bond controversy
Pension funds have welcomed a relaxation in foreign investment rules but would have preferred a more liberal regime
Special ReportNorway: Public-sector pensions consultation set for autumn
Occupational pensions could form part of a new review following last year’s Pension Commission report
Special ReportSpain: New regulation introduces lifestyling
Government pushes through legislation package before elections last July
InterviewsOn the record: Doubling down on debt
Pension funds are focusing on both listed fixed income and private credit
NewsFrench regulator questions managers’ approach to ESG data providers
Plus: New biodiversity credits initiative between UK and France
