With many defined benefit pension plan solvency ratios at all-time highs, plan sponsors have an excellent opportunity to rethink their approach to investing, according to Shivin Kwatra, head of liability-driven investing portfolio management at Insight Investments. “It is important to highlight two approaches to investing: one [is] traditional — a mean variance framework of maximizing […]
As institutional investors increase allocations to alternative investments, it becomes increasingly challenging to understand risk. A new paper, co-authored by Spencer Couts, assistant professor of real estate at the University of Southern California; Andrei S. Goncalves, an assistant professor of finance at the University of North Carolina; and Andrea Rossi, an assistant professor of finance […]
The vast majority of investors (82 per cent) are satisfied with how their portfolios performed in the first half of 2020, despite some weak results in strategies such as emerging market debt and smart beta, according to a new study of 368 investors with combined assets of approximately US$11 trillion. Following the quickest equity market […]
Much debate remains about whether private equity is an appropriate option for members of capital accumulation plans. Canada’s neighbours to the south have been examining the potential legal pitfalls of these allocations. A recent information letter from the U.S. department of labor set forth a framework plan sponsors can use to consider the prudence of […]
In legal circles, it has always been thought that crises breed litigation. And while that appears to be the case in the current crisis, it may not have been the case in the global financial crisis of 2008/9, as pointed out in a recent article by Eric Blinderman, the chief executive officer for the U.S. […]
In the current market environment, liquidity is top of mind for pension plans, says Jason Campbell, principal at Eckler Ltd. For example, despite a company’s potential work stoppages, it’s still responsible for benefit payments, as well as paying capital calls on investments as they come due. Some firms in the private markets space are trying […]
With the new year almost here, there are some interdependent themes investors should watch, such as central banks tightening policy, trade tensions and an increased focus on sustainability according to Mercer’s most recent paper on themes and opportunities for 2019. Chance of ‘white water’ turbulence There is evidence that credit is overextended, the paper said, […]
CIO James Davis on how his pension fund has changed.
Greenwich Associates finds large institutional investors turning to bond ETFs in greater numbers.