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Copper: Where is the bottom?

For years metals such as aluminium, zinc and nickel have been persistently oversupplied. The copper market, in contrast, has been much tighter, primarily because China needs to import the metal but is largely selfsufficient in other metals. This has seen copper trade at a premium to other base metals and be recognised as a good […]
Hermes Fund ManagersOctober 30, 2013
Investor Profile

Connecticut fund manager seeks cash flow

United States equities and real estate were the strongest suits at the $26-billion Hartford-based State of Connecticut Retirement Plans and Trust Funds (CRPTF) out of an entire portfolio that posted 11.6 per cent in the fiscal year ending June 2013. Now the manager of Connecticut’s six retirement plans and nine trust funds is developing opportunistic […]
Sarah RundellAugust 21, 2013
Emerging Markets

Active management and ideal weighting in emerging markets

From a strategic asset allocation point of view, AustralianSuper is one of the most aggressive investors in emerging markets, particularly Asia. About a quarter of the $43-billion fund is in international equities, and nearly half of that is in emerging markets. Equities is the vehicle for AustralianSuper’s emerging market exposure because growth remains the reason […]
Amanda WhiteJuly 12, 2013
Uncategorised posts

Getting the commodities mix just right

While commodities are a controversial and problematic asset class to some investors, for others they are an ideal diversifier looking more attractive than ever. A mini-revival in commodity investing among US pension funds suggests the asset class may be enjoying a resurgence. The Los Angeles Fire and Police Pension System, Municipal Retirement System of Michigan […]
Dan BillinghamJuly 10, 2013
Uncategorised posts

OTPP deals with underfunding

Even the most successful and well run pension plans are facing underfunding challenges. The $129-billion Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan is the latest to investigate solutions to solve the mismatch between the pension promise and the funds required to meet that, says Jim Leech, chief executive of the organisation . OTPP has appointed a taskforce – chaired […]
Amanda WhiteJune 7, 2013
Research

UK equity allocation falls

Equity allocation by UK pension schemes continues to fall, but the assets are being re-allocated into “everything else except gilts”, according to Mercer chief investment officer, Andrew Kirton. Last year equities allocations by UK pension funds fell by 5 per cent, according to Mercer, as they attempt to deal with the enormous amount of pension […]
Amanda WhiteOctober 5, 2012
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