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.
CalPERS will continue its securities lending program following an annual review, despite significant pressure on its collateral pool, with income of $220 million generated for the year to March but unrealised losses on the internal collateral reinvestment of $854 million.
Fresh from a stint as head of asset management at China’s second largest insurance company, Ping An, the new chief investment officer of the $A19 billion ($16 billion) UniSuper, John Pearce, has some definitive views on how to position the fund for the future, including bringing some equities management in-house, focusing on infrastructure in the
The $109 billion New York State Common Retirement Fund will internally manage $200 million allocated to companies in the FTSE Environmental Technology 50 and the HSBC Global Climate Change Index under the fund’s green strategic investment program.
Sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) may allocate substantially more to equities if they consider correlations between natural resources and financial assets in portfolio optimisation, according to State Street’s Vision Report, which also suggests SWFs consider becoming more active share owners as a consequence of the financial crisis.
CalPERS is seeking consulting firms for a dedicated real estate Spring-fed pool, the first competitive selection process since 2003, with five-year contracts to begin in July next year.
CalPERS’ approach to improving portfolio returns by engaging management of poorly performing companies to rethink governance and strategy has had a substantial endorsement, with analysis by Wilshire Associates demonstrating that the fund has had a dramatic effect on the performance of the companies placed on its Focus List.
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