Another big bank is set to hive off its funds management business to shore up its balance sheet, with this week’s announcement of the proposed divestments by ING Group.
China’s CIC goes public with investment strategy
China Investment Corporation has for the first time revealed its investment strategy. SONIA HAN reports that the Chinese sovereign wealth fund has accelerated its investment program in open-market products and industries such as mining, energy and real estate. The CIC is seeing value after the crisis but is also looking to limit portfolio risk.
Pension funds to talk climate change with the Prince
The P8, a group of 12 of the world’s largest pension funds tasked with influencing policy makers on climate change, will meet in London next week for a two-day conference convened by its patron, Prince Charles, in the last meeting of the group before the Copenhagen conference of political leaders.
Investors need to factor in inflation – Wurts
It may still be the right time to allocate to distressed real estate and debt-related strategies as deleveraging continues around the world and capital remains in short supply.
But a significant factor likely to impact on portfolios in the medium term, according to US asset consultancy Wurts & Associates, is inflation.
Have scale, will bedazzle … but beware
Keith Ambachtsheer, director of the Rotman International Centre for Pension Management (Rotman ICPM), believes increased scale expands the capabilities of pension funds, while also enhancing their operations and lowering costs. But their financial strength should not be allowed to compromise their core purpose. He shares his thoughts with Simon Mumme.
Apples with apples: Teachers’ plan emphasises risk as much as return
“You almost don’t need to say the words, ‘risk management’,” says Barbara Zvan, head of risk and asset mix at the $84.9 billion (C$87.4 billion) Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP), when asked about how closely integrated the investment and risk management teams at the big defined benefit fund are. She talks to Simon Mumme about how the OTPP assessed risk during the financial crisis, and how it views markets now.
