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GPIF continues equities rampage

The giant Japanese pension fund, the Government Pension Investment Fund, continues its quest to move from bonds into equities and shift around 30 per cent of assets, or around $327 billion, out of domestic bonds and short term assets, appointing four new equities managers. The new asset allocation, approved in October last year, sees the […]
Amanda WhiteFebruary 11, 2015
Research

Pension fund governance needs an overhaul, still

How much has pension fund governance changed in the past 16 years? Not much! A survey of pension fund governance by Keith Ambachtsheer and John McLaughlin, which asked respondents the same questions in 1997, 2005 and 2014 reveal that the same “sources of excellence shortfall” exist today as they did 16 years ago. Pension fund […]
Amanda WhiteFebruary 6, 2015
Investor Profile

Asset owners take charge of the tender process

A candid feedback loop from asset owners to managers following a tender process will help raise the standard of transparency and appropriate offerings in the industry. Chief financial officer of Denmark’s Lønmodtagernes Dyrtidsfond (LD), Lars Wallberg, who has just overseen a full manager overhaul after a rigorous and deliberate tender process has advice to both […]
Amanda WhiteFebruary 4, 2015
Research

Fees eat diversification’s lunch

The balance between the allocating to the right number of asset classes and over-diversification is a concern for pension fund investment executives and committees. A new paper by professors at the US Air Force Academy examines the relationship between fees of diversifying asset classes and their diversifying benefits. The paper finds that, in many cases, […]
Amanda WhiteJanuary 30, 2015
Uncategorised posts

How to use smart beta

While smart beta is a much-talked about concept, implementation is slow. Part of the reluctance of investors is the risk of sustained underperformance, but that can be overcome by matching portfolio liquidity requirements with factor cycle duration. Amanda White speaks to Michael Hunstad, head of quantitative equity research, global equity management, at Northern Trust. Sustained […]
Amanda WhiteJanuary 28, 2015
Uncategorised posts

Liquidity premium escapes UK investors

  UK pension funds have not taking advantage of their comparative advantage as long-term investors and have not earned a positive long-run liquidity premium on their investments, according to a paper from the Cass Business School that examines UK pension funds’ monthly allocations to major asset classes over the period 1987-2012. The authors – David […]
Amanda WhiteJanuary 23, 2015
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