First Fiscal-Year Gain for US Public Plans Since 2007
A US Census Bureau report shows holdings of the 100 largest US public-employee retirement systems rose 6.8% for the 12 months through June, the first fiscal-year gain since 2007.
Asset Allocation
UK Pension Funding Shortfall More Than Halved in September
Figures released by the Pension Protection Fund show the funding shortfall faced by the UK's defined benefit pension schemes more than halved in September.
Japan's GPIF to Allocate to Emerging Equities
The Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF), which holds about $1.4 trillion in assets, will pick both active and passive managers to invest in emerging markets for the first time.
Corporate Pensions Enjoy Positive Swing in September
The latest update to the Milliman 100 Pension Funding Index, which consists of 100 of the nation's largest defined benefit pension plans, shows funded status increased by $67 billion during September.
Swath of Frontier Economies to Create SWFs
Governments in at least nine frontier markets -- in countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia -- are scoping out the possibility of setting up sovereign wealth funds.
CalSTRS Limits Commodities Investment, Allots $370 Million to Property in Q2
The board of the California State Teachers Retirement System has decided to lower its proposed commodities investment from a reported $2.5 billion to $250 million or less.
Norway to Include PE, Infrastructure; New Strategy Council
In a bid to increase returns, the $471 billion fund has intended to broaden its investments to include infrastructure projects and private equity investments.
Consultancy Rogerscasey Urges Institutional Investment in Africa
The investment consultancy firm favors debt, private equity, infrastructure, agriculture, and timber as African investment sectors.
Korea NPS Flocks to Asian and Australian Real Estate
South Korea's National Pension Service will invest in Asian and Australian real-estate as it continues to diversify its portfolio, now mainly invested in domestic bonds.
State Street: Confidence Among Institutional Investors Dips in September
Despite a rally in equities, investor confidence has fallen in Europe and the US in September, according to research by State Street Global Markets (SSGM).
With Expectations of Commodities Boom, Caisse de Depot to Focus on Energy and Minerals
As demands for energy are expected to climb by as much as 40% in the next 20 years as incomes rise in emerging markets and as the global economy rebounds, the Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec plans to invest more heavily in energy and minerals.
Study: European Funds Imprecisely Model Their Liability Hedging Portfolios
Research by EDHEC-Risk Institute has found that 45% of pensions had poorly defined liability hedging portfolios while a quarter of schemes have not fully identified their liabilities.
Mercer Urges Insurance-Style Governance Tools to Brace Super Funds for Risk
There is a gap in risk management in super funds, which now rival insurance companies in size and complexity, according to consultancy group Mercer.
GIC Recoups Losses, Reveals Emerging Markets Outperform
The Government of Singapore Investment Corporation, manager of more than $100 billion of reserves, has released its annual report for the third year, revealing positive news: a recoup of most of the losses made in 2008 as stock markets rebounded.
UK Institutions Allot 28% of Portfolios to Alts
Alternatives are rising in popularity among scheme investors, according to new research by J.P. Morgan Asset Management.