CalPERS has made some significant changes to its securities lending policy document in order to reduce risk and improve counterparty diversification in the portfolio, including a reduction in the maximum exposure to any counterparty, from 30 to 25 per cent of the total program.
Lawmakers gun for OTC deals
While regulatory reforms can introduce improvements to complex investment products such as standardisation, Dr Arjuna Sittampalam, Research Associate with EDHEC-Risk Institute and Editor, Investment Management Review, argues an increased suppression of complexity could be unfortunate, particularly as pension funds begin to take to derivatives in a big way.
Towers Watson debuts quietly
Asset consultant Towers Watson has debuted on Nasdaq and the NYSE with two quiet days trading in a very tight band around US$49, following Watson Wyatt’s $3.5 billion merger with rival Towers Perrin.
Russell and State Street bullish on equities
Asset consultants Russell Investments and State Street Global Advisors (SSgA) are both bullish on the Australian economy and equities, in particular, with Russell tipping industrials and a return of 10 per cent this year.
Magic of maths: harnessing the excess growth from portfolio volatility
In the aftermath of the global financial crisis, some investors are questioning the true diversification in their global equity portfolios and the appropriateness of standard benchmarks. GREG BRIGHT spoke with Adrian Banner, co-chief investment officer at INTECH Investment Management, about these and other issues.
CalPERS hires Mercer for compensation review
The $200 billion California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) has hired Mercer Consulting review the investment office incentive compensation program, a design set up in 1997 under the guidance of the board’s compensation consultant Watson Wyatt.
