In a market environment where finding returns is tough, the Employees Retirement System of Texas turned to emerging markets and alternatives to provide the pension promise, said Sharmila Kassam, deputy chief investment officer at the Employees Retirement System of Texas. The Employees Retirement System of Texas is a state pension plan that serves more than […]
As alternative investments become ubiquitous among institutional portfolios, harnessing the right strategies will make all the difference in an environment where returns are proving harder to find, said John Gray, partner at Adams Street Partners. “In a world where everybody needs return . . . people are ramping up their allocations to private equity,” he […]
Guggenheim Investments and the World Wildlife Fund have commissioned a study to review sustainability standards for multi-stakeholder infrastructure programs, noting the need for further clarity as sustainable infrastructure transitions into an institutional asset class. “It’s clear that public funds alone are not enough to address the world’s critical infrastructure needs,” said Scott Minerd, chairman of Guggenheim […]
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank has been busy, launching a US$500 million credit portfolio comprised of infrastructure-related corporate bonds, quasi-sovereign bonds and green bonds. The Beijing-based multilateral investment bank noted the venture is part of its main goal to develop infrastructure as an asset class in Asian markets. By creating the portfolio, it’s seeking to […]
To find value in a competitive infrastructure market filled with dry powder, plan sponsors can look beyond equity and senior debt, focusing instead on junior infrastructure debt, according to Claire Smith, alternatives director at Schroders. “Canadian pension funds are no stranger to infrastructure equity investment, but we’ve seen valuations in this market getting higher,” she […]
In the first quarter of 2019, RisCura will be launching what it calls Africa’s first infrastructure performance index in partnership with Africa Investor Capital. The infrastructure index will be pan-African, including North Africa, and will cover various sectors including power, transport, renewable energy and social infrastructure, says Hubert Danso, chief executive officer and chairman at Africa […]
While no one can know for certain if inflation is coming bank, David Zanutto, senior investment consultant at Mercer, says that the risks of inflation moving higher have increased. He points particularly to low levels of unemployment, which could translate to wage growth and higher inflation. Other factors that could lead to higher inflation include […]
Faced with technological disruption, plan sponsors may benefit from taking a shorter-term approach to infrastructure investing and focusing on multiple, smaller-scale projects, says Andrew Claerhout, senior advisor at the Boston Consulting Group Inc. Infrastructure projects of the past were often large, essential service-related assets linked to government. But with the rise of technology and tightening government […]
Faced with technological disruption, plan sponsors may benefit from taking a shorter-term approach to infrastructure investing and focusing on multiple, smaller-scale projects, says Andrew Claerhout, senior advisor at the Boston Consulting Group Inc. Infrastructure projects of the past were often large, essential service-related assets linked to government. But with the rise of technology and tightening government […]
While many investors expect the U.S. bull market to end in 2019, some institutional investors are planning changes to their allocation strategy or return assumptions, according to a new survey by Natixis Investment Managers. The survey found about two-thirds of institutional investors expect the U.S. bull market to end in 2019, while 70 per cent […]