IPE's EU Coverage – Page 9
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Opinion PiecesEuropean authorities must focus on derivatives risk
Opinions may differ on whether Brexit has had a positive or negative impact on either of the parties involved. However, it could be argued that an idiosyncratic event such as the liquidity crisis that took place in the United Kingdom at the end of September could have been averted, had the country been part of the bloc. Investors lost confidence in the UK government, now more isolated than before Brexit, and its ability to maintain its fiscal balance, after the announcement of a massive fiscal spending plan at the end of September. That sent yields on UK Gilts soaring and led to a spiralling lack of liquidity, as pension funds rushed to post collateral on their interest-rate derivative positions.
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Opinion PiecesGermany’s equity pension plan raises questions
The current legislative period could bring substantial changes to Germany’s pension system. The government is pursuing reforms to fund first-pillar pensions through a buffer fund invested in equities, although there is little consensus on its feasibility.
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FeaturesEuropean Commission announcement brings some clarity to derivatives clearing
Many unanswered questions linger after the departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union. However, a recent announcement by the European Commission (EC) promises to bring some much-needed clarity to the derivatives market.
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News
PensionsEurope unsure EU will agree to ECB help in a pensions liquidity crunch
European pensions lobby chief expects more emphasis on liquidity risk management in future pensions regulation
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Asset Class ReportsAsset class report – Equities
Factor investment strategies were once the ‘new black’ - scientific, quant driven approaches that could deliver the ‘smart beta’ nirvana of lower volatility returns and optimised exposure to robust return premia from small cap, value and quality stocks. Pundits always warned adopters that not all factors would perform all of the time - and indeed they didn’t. But investors are taking a fresh look at factor strategies now the extended spell of outperformance of growth stocks has passed, and value has reasserted itself.
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Special ReportProspects 2023: How important are the carbon markets?
Carbon pricing is key to investment in green technology
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Asset Class ReportsEquities – Investing in the midst of Europe’s gloom
Healthcare and luxury brands are two sectors with potential to stand out in an otherwise gloomy macro environment
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Opinion PiecesDutch pensions reform: A never ending story
In the last two years, nearly all my contributions for this section have been about the ongoing reform of the Dutch pension system, which will involve the transfer of defined-benefit (DB) accruals to a defined-contribution (DC) setting.
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FeaturesEuropean pension dashboard in the starting blocks
The European Tracking Service for pensions has been years in the making but is now set for a rollout, to be completed by 2027
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FeaturesUS dollar strength and the issues facing institutional investors
Most central banks across the world are raising interest rates – some more aggressively than others – but it is proving hard for any of them to out-hike the US Federal Reserve. The resulting widening interest rate differentials have been an important factor in the appreciation of the US currency.
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News
Volume of EU financial regulation seems out of control, says Danish lobby
IPD launches five proposals for better EU regulation
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NewsEuropean supervisors call for input on greenwashing to inform work
EBA, EIOPA and ESMA say they need to understand which areas might be more prone to greenwashing risks
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Opinion PiecesNext up for Switzerland: second pillar reform?
The narrow majority of Swiss citizens voting to reform the country’s statutory (AHV) pension system in a referendum on 23 September (52.2%) could create momentum to bring about changes to the second pillar.
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FeaturesUK LDI woes raise wider European questions
Turmoil in UK Gilt markets has forced continental European pension industries to review their risk management strategies
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Special ReportETFs Guide 2022: Better tax treatment could prompt European ETF takeoff
First the good news: Globally, investment in ETFs continues to surge, with the first half of 2022 seeing the second highest inflows on record. The flexibility and ease of access they offer helped them play an instrumental role achieving the highest volume fixed income trading day being recorded in June, as $58bn of assets were moved from EM debt and high yield into government bonds (see p7). This helped cement ETFs’ position as an essential tool of the fixed income ecosystem.
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Opinion PiecesSolvency II: Rule changes can’t force risk taking
Changing the rules can often seem like a very sensible policy choice – whether a sweeping deregulatory reform or more of a technocratic adjustment to regulations.
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Opinion PiecesLetter from Berlin: The German way to supervise the EU Taxonomy
The German financial supervisory authority, BaFin, has chosen its own path to deal with the EU taxonomy – in particular when it comes to nuclear and gas.
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FeaturesPension funds continue their focus on ESG social issues
Before the year is over, European policymakers are expected to announce their decision to shelve plans for a social taxonomy.
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Special ReportPost-Brexit flux in Europe
Although Brexit has changed the dynamics of the European asset management landscape, the checklist for choosing a location for an exchange-traded fund (ETF) has not altered: a solid legislative foundation, requisite skillsets, favourable tax treatment and cross-border distribution acumen.
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NewsEuropean pensions sector fails to use clout in green finance policymaking
Think tank finds that though many European pension funds stand out in climate engagement with stocks they own, they are generally not actively influencing policy
