European pension reforms and property investments
Important changes are coming quickly to Europe's retirement savings industry. Funds are under pressure to consider investment in a portfolio context, and are giving more serious consideration to alternative investments. As new regulations and standards of best practice emerge, funds will increasingly consider broadening their exposure to alternative investments, particularly property, which compares favourably with stocks and bonds on a total potential return and return-to-risk-ratio basis. This paper shows that, based on some fairly conservative assumptions, property should perform well when compared with other asset classes.
UK pension fund management after Myners: The hunt for correlation begins
The Myners Report will have a number of significant consequences for pension fund management and performance measurement in the UK. First, it changes the way in which assets are selected. The strategic asset allocation will have overriding importance in pension fund management. Asset classes will be selected on the basis of their match with liabilities in terms of correlation and volatility, rather than on the basis of expected return. Every pension scheme will have a scheme-specific funding standard that reflects the maturity structure of the liabilities of the scheme. Secondly, it changes the role of the fund manager. A hierarchical relationship will develop between the investment adviser, actuary and fund manager. The investment advisory function assumes a primacy over the actuarial and fund management functions. Thirdly, it changes the way investment performance is measured. Liability-driven performance measurement and attribution will replace the existing performance measurement framework in the UK. The passively managed components of the pension fund will be judged on the costs of implementation. Only the performance of the surplus assets will be measured on a conventional basis. The Myners Report is summarised and an illustrative statement of investment principles and transparency statement are presented.
The Law of Failure
If a broker-dealer liquidates in federal bankruptcy court, why does an insurance company liquidate in state court, and a bank outside of court altogether? Why do some businesses re-organize under state law 'assignments', rather than the more well-known Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code? Why do some laws use the language of bankruptcy but without advancing policy goals of the Bankruptcy Code? In this illuminating work, Stephen J. Lubben tackles these questions and many others related to the collective law of business insolvency in the United States. In the first book of its kind, Lubben notes the broad similarities between the many insolvency systems in the United States while describing the fundamental differences lurking therein. By considering the whole sweep of these laws - running the gamut from Chapter 11 to obscure receivership provisions of the National Bank Act - readers will acquire a fundamental understanding of the 'law of failure'.