All Pension Fund Management articles
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White papersLDI differentiator: the benefits of an integrated solution with credit
This mini-series of short articles shines a light on often under-discussed but important factors to think about when structuring your LDI portfolio framework. Here we look at the benefits of an integrated solution of LDI and credit.
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White papersEurozone Pension Systems: a health check
Post-war Second World War pension funds were developed on the basis of two different logics: the Bismarckian (defined contributions) in Germany and the Beveridgean system (defined benefits) in England. Today, there are hybrids of these systems but all have established minimum pension levels or social minimums.
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White papersLDI Market Update – March 2025, the new Dutch pension system and its expected market implications
The Dutch pension landscape will face a major historic change in the coming years, with approximately EUR 1800 billion of assets being transitioned from a Defined Benefit pension system to a Collective Defined Contribution pension system. The transition has consequences for the way Dutch pension funds invest – in particular their interest rate hedging profile will look different.
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White papersDoes Tax Deductibility Increase Retirement Saving? Lessons from a French Natural Experiment
This paper presents new evidence on how employees respond to tax incentives for retirement saving. Using administrative data from a large retirement plan administrator in France, we examine the voluntary saving choices of approximately 1.4 million workers before and after the implementation of the 2019 Loi Pacte, a reform that introduced tax-deductible voluntary contributions into employer-sponsored retirement plans.
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White papersOvercoming barriers to retirement savings: behavioural factors and existing schemes
Under-saving for retirement is a major issue for many economies. Benartzi and Thaler (2013) have long diagnosed a ‘retirement savings crisis’. In the US, according to the National Retirement Risk Index, 39% of working-age households will not be able to maintain their standard of living in retirement.
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PodcastOuterblue Conversations – Seeking returns in a disruptive era? Analysis of the 2025 pension survey
Each year, Amundi and CREATE interview pension plans to highlight topics shaping the pension ecosystem. As pension investors transition to a new regime, this year, one question is at the top of everyone’s minds: where will the returns come from? The 2024 survey takes a closer look at two of the potential answers in this search for good risk-adjusted returns: private markets and Asian emerging markets.
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White papers10 Things Pension Schemes Should Know about Buy-Out
The UK’s defined-benefit pension schemes are financially stronger than they have been in years. Many sponsors and trustees are taking this opportunity to revisit their endgame. Should they transfer their obligations to an insurer in a buy-out transaction, or is the scheme better placed to run on, managing its own obligations?
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White papersThe Patchwork of Eurozone Pension Systems and Budget Constraints
The issue of pension systems in Eurozone countries is significant because pension outlays represent a substantial portion of GDP. And an ageing population increases financing needs. At the same time, country deficits – and consequently debt – have deepened during the Covid period, including through higher interest rates.
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White papersWhere will returns come from? Pensions in a new economic regime
Where will returns come from? Pensions in a new economic regime
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White papersSolid equity performances keep funding ratios on a high
Despite experiencing volatility in Q3 2024, markets demonstrated resilience with largely positive returns. The decrease in liability discounting rates in Q3 compensated these good performances, and funding ratios have been mostly stable over the period, still at comfortable levels.
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White papersEuropean Securitisations: Risk and Opportunities for Pension Funds
European Securitisations have recently attracted attention, with 2024 to date seeing record volumes of issuance since the Great Financial Crisis. European regulators have also shown strong support through several recent reports (from Noyer, Letta and Draghi), which have led to a public consultation from the European Commission. We review the opportunities and the associated risk of European securitisations for pension funds.
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White papersBeyond the Numbers: ESG in Action
As the 2024 Amundi-CREATE report highlights, the private markets asset class is particularly suitable for responsible investing. This article explores how an investor in private assets, such as Amundi Alpha Associates, can approach and refine responsible investment capabilities, as well as the practical steps taken to integrate ESG factors into their portfolio monitoring processes.
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White papersSeeking returns in private markets and emerging markets in a disruptive era
As pension investors transition to a new regime, one question has come to the fore: where will the returns come from?
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White papersPension Funds Letter 22 - New realities, new searches for returns
Amongst other things, 2024 will be remembered for being the year of elections. More voters than ever before, over half the world’s population, had the opportunity to express their vote this year. While almost all these votes have now been counted, what the different outcomes will mean both domestically and more globally is only likely to become clear next year. We wait especially with bated breath, to see how Trump 2.0 will play out around the world.
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White papersCharting the unpredictable: Harnessing data-driven solutions to enhance investment decision making
Pension funds, long regarded as the bedrock of long-term financial security for millions of workers worldwide, are currently navigating an increasingly tumultuous landscape. Traditionally conservative in their investment strategies, these institutions now face a confluence of challenges that demand innovative thinking and strategic foresight.
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White papersTaking the fear out of high yield debt investment
Fixed income investors cautious about gaining exposure to high yield debt have little to fear as credit quality in the sector improves and attractive new pockets of opportunity open, says Insight Investment1portfolio manager and senior credit analyst, Cathy Braganza.
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White papersEuropean champions
Walter Scott1 investment manager Alan Edington looks ahead to a big summer of sport and entertainment. One that is set to showcase not just a host of global superstars but also some of Europe’s leading companies.
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White papersThe changing face of global interest rate movements
Rising yields, growing income opportunity and an increasingly supportive market environment make a compelling case for investment in global credit, according to Insight Investment1 portfolio manager Shaun Casey.
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White papersOptimal decumulation strategies for retirement solutions
The importance of decumulation strategies in retirement has gained traction in recent years. Government pension reforms are driving a move away from defined benefit (DB) schemes, which promise an income for life, in favour of defined contribution (DC) plans which offer no such guarantee. In Europe, DC plans already account for 26% of retirement assets (USD713.9 billion) and are projected to rise significantly in the next five years, potentially increasing by USD2.5 trillion.
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White papersKey findings Optimal decumulation strategies
The importance of decumulation strategies in retirement has gained traction in recent years. Government pension reforms are driving a move away from defined benefit (DB) schemes, which promise an income for life, in favour of defined contribution (DC) plans which offer no such guarantee. In Europe, DC plans already account for 26% of retirement assets (USD713.9 billion) and are projected to rise significantly in the next five years, potentially increasing by USD2.5 trillion.
