Tag Archives: Bonds

Time for the FCA to review its DC lifestyle guidance ?

Thanks to James Farr of Aviva for helping me out with the FCA’s most recent pronouncements on pension lifestyling. James and I worked together at Zurich some 20 years ago and it’s great to know compliance experts at a time … Continue reading

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“How do we tell the children?” Our awkward problem over lifestyle.

  For the purpose of this article – I will refer to some savers as our “children“, those under our care who have suffered loss while sleeping. They are the unwitting victims in the collapse in bond markets , including … Continue reading

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Robert Armstrong concludes “ESG is still a mess”

This blog is published this morning on Robert Armstrong’s “unhedged” feed. I’m republishing it because measuring the real impact of pensions on the sustainability of the planet is key in choosing a pension provider. I want to know how my … Continue reading

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Has this crisis broken your pension pot (and can it be mended)?

Ever the optimist, I kick off with an image of a pot that has been broken and becomes a thing of beauty. For many of us DC pension pot holders, this is devoutly to be hoped for. Though for some, … Continue reading

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LDI – “Blood on the Tracks”

Well, I wanna be your lover, babyI don’t wanna be your bossDon’t say I never warned youWhen your train gets lost Bob Dylan “It takes a lot to laugh, it takes a train to cry” This article is about the … Continue reading

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Death by discount rates

Q: When is a million dollars not a million dollars? A: When it is not yet a million dollars. The pensions business is all about the long term. Fund managers like me are responsible for ensuring we have sufficient funds … Continue reading

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We do not restore confidence on our own – we do it together

Today we see the launch of the Government’s new industrial strategy.  Five Live’s “Wake up to Money” program came from the white heat of a Coventry industrial research plant. Last week Nigel Wilson called for us to put back the Capital into Capitalism … Continue reading

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Are bonds “suitable” assets to meet the promises of a pension plan?

    Pension funds are struggling to find suitable assets in which to invest, says Pat Race of KPMG in an article in FTfm. The headline of the article is that “North American Pension Funds grow assets faster than their … Continue reading

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“Investment advisory fees up 14%” -why?

  Can someone explain what is meant by an investment advisory fee in this context? The report appears in Financial Planning Today which describes itself as the daily news website for Financial Planners, Paraplanners and Wealth Managers. The article doesn’t mention … Continue reading

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John Ralfe, Ros Altmann and the cost of central heating.

John Ralfe kindly promoted my article on the lack of diversity in the AE review. The AE review and the pension stitch up. https://t.co/8585n7hOEL via @henryhtapper is spot on — John Ralfe (@JohnRalfe1) February 11, 2017 //platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Responsible John By … Continue reading

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