Funds empty their clips as Sudan divides
As Sudan divides into north and south, CalPERS and other UN PRI funds are divesting shares in public companies in that country, while at the same time warning on the fragile peace and the precarious economy.
Conflict in Iran: Investors mute the noise but inflation risk grows
Investors are watching conflict in the Middle East closely as inflationary pressures begin to build beneath the surface. One of the challenges for many investors is reduced exposure to the hedging benefits of fossil fuels in listed, and private markets.
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CalSTRS moves on innovation, risk
CalSTRS is in contract negotiation with a hedge fund consultant, with a view to hiring global macro hedge funds as part of its innovation portfolio, and the next tasks will be reviewing commodities and non-traditional benchmarks, as the innovation and risk unit comes of age.
TMX rejects funds’ bid amid debt concerns
Competition and debt concerns have scuttled an ambitious proposal by a consortium of nine Canadian banks and pension funds to acquire the country’s biggest stock exchange.
US dollar debate rages as funds hedge bets
The recent rally in the US dollar after fears about a slowdown in China and Eurozone government debt has focused attention on what lies ahead for the world’s major reserve currency and the implications for funds’ hedging strategies.
Tread carefully among systemic risks
Funds managers, pension trustee boards and fund members should adjust to a low-returns environment and think carefully about investment risk in such uncertain times, warned Tim Gardener, global head of consultant relations at AXA Investment Managers (AXA IM) and a veteran of the UK asset consulting industry.
Lone wolves may secure the best returns
Some animals instinctively gather as a herd, apparently pension funds are such animals. A new asset allocation study by academics at Maastricht and Yale, presented at the ICPM discussion forum last week, reveals the mob behaviour by funds when it comes to asset allocation, leaving way for security selection to be the differentiator in returns.
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