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The COVID-19 play: Tragedy or triumph?

The path out of this crisis must include trust, purpose, organisational identity, culture and diversity if we are to create a new normal that includes a more resilient, clean and inclusive state argues Roger Urwin.

Investors must act on DoL proposal

Investors  have only a few days to comment on the US Department of Labor’s proposed amendment to investment duties regulation and ESG – which many believe is out of step with the market and potentially damaging to retirees’ retirement income – with the window for comment closing on July 30.

Strategy at Canada’s newest pension plan

Barbara Zvan started her job last week as the inaugural CEO and president of UPP, the new pension fund that will pool three existing Canadian university pension funds. She talks to Amanda White about the plans for the fund including the mix of internal and external management.

Braving the unknown: high yield debt

Option-adjusted spreads for US high yield are above 700 basis points, a stress event threshold only breached four other times in the last two decades.  Mercer's Nathan Struemph examines the considerations for investors looking at these investments including the range of return outcomes in prior stress events, the path investors had to experience in reaching those outcomes, and the impact of implementation timeliness on returns.

Building better retirement systems

The global COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for better risk management tools to handle longevity and ageing. This paper by Wharton's Olivia Mitchell, offers an assessment of the status quo prior the coronavirus; evaluates how retirement systems are faring in the wake of the shock; examines insurance and financial market products that may render retirement systems more resilient for the world’s ageing population; and looks at the potential role for policymakers.

Embrace a systems framework

COVID-19 has revealed some fundamental design flaws in our global economy, including the relentless pursuit of economic growth - not only at the expense of the environment but also at the expense of people. The investment industry has a role to play in fixing these design flaws. A systems framework for investing could be the answer.