As pension plans are engaging more often as active shareholders, some companies are beginning to chafe. One instance of pushback came after the the New York State Common Retirement Fund co-sponsored a proposal with the Church of England’s endowment fund requesting that Exxon Mobil Corp. include short-, medium- and long-term greenhouse gas reduction targets aligned with […]
With the industry focused on retirement readiness and more defined contribution plan members on glide paths, it’s increasingly important for plan sponsors to choose default investment funds suited to the present and future. Fortunately, these funds have been shifting away from their conservative roots. Money market funds, for instance, were once a common default in […]
The Ontario government is eliminating the requirement of government approval for employers seeking to merge single-employer pension plans with jointly sponsored pension plans. The change, put through as Bill 66, repeals section 80.4(1) of the Pension Benefits Act. It’s intended to make it easier for employers to pool risk, according to a release from the province’s Ministry of […]
Venture capitalists provide value for investors seeking to make allocations to early-stage or emerging firms, according to research from Rustam Abuzov, a PhD candidate at the Swiss Finance Institute and University of Lausanne. “There is a recent movement of pension funds to do direct investments into venture capital, getting rid of the middle man like […]
While shareholder activism is a hot topic among institutional investors, where hedge funds are concerned, it doesn’t seem to have much impact on investee company profitability, according to a paper by J.B. Heaton, an independent financial economics researcher. Hedge fund activism is a great story, one that investors can wrap their heads around, says Heaton. […]
Institutional investors appear to be making some tentative forays into the world of cryptocurrencies. A research note published by investment firm Cambridge Associates said it may be time for institutional investors to begin exploring and familiarizing themselves with the asset class, stating, “we see an industry that’s developing, not faltering.” As well, a survey of institutional investors […]
In today’s modern world, filling out paperwork to make a benefits claim feels archaic, especially considering the ease of making other life choices, such as an app for ordering coffee from Starbucks Corp. or personalized viewing suggestions from Netflix Inc. “People’s expectations are changing,” says Ofelia Isabel, managing director and client management leader for Canada at Willis Towers Watson. She […]
Emerging markets are facing a retirement crisis that arguably far outweighs that of the countries comprising the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, according to a research paper by Nadeem Ahmed Jeddy, executive director of Pakistan-based Magnus Investment Advisors Ltd. The number of people 65 and older in emerging markets is nearly double those in […]
Machine learning can be a useful tool when analysizing public equity options, but users need to understand and mitigate the limitations of the technology, according to research published in the Financial Analysts Journal. The term machine learning is a catch-all for algorithms and methods that allow machines to uncover patterns without specific programming instructions, the […]
China’s debt situation appears dramatic, but worries about it shouldn’t necessarily deter institutions looking at investing in the country, says Andy Rothman, investment strategist at Matthews Asia. The majority of the debt stems from measures taken by the Chinese government to stimulate its economy after the global financial crisis, prior to which the country’s overall […]