This month the $24 billion Arizona State Retirement System completed an asset allocation overhaul resulting in new dedicated allocations to commodities and emerging market equities. Amanda White spoke with director Paul Matson about the decision-making process and the exposure and implementation decisions, including manager selection, still to come.
Florida benefits from equities overweights
The $110 billion Florida Retirement System Pension Plan (FRS PP) outperformed its policy benchmark by 10 basis points in the September quarter, thanks to overweight allocations to domestic and international equities.
New ICGN Principles shift focus to behaviour
The International Corporate Governance Network (ICGN) has revised its Principles for the first time since 2005, shifting the focus from structures to behaviour and culture, as well as adding two new Principles, including risk management, as a result of the financial crisis.
CalPERS gives external managers one more year, pending review
CalPERS has extended the mandates of its external global equities managers by one year to enable staff to complete the asset class review, which will produce a recommendation about the role of external managers in the portfolio.
Global flow data shows investor caution
Institutional investors have taken their feet off the gas, with the latest data from State Street Global Markets showing a “neutral” reading for cross-border flows and consensus views on global markets.
CalPERS reviews consultant requirements as it goes to tender
CalPERS has expanded the scope of services required by its primary pension consultant, including the provision of more strategic advice and better communication between board and staff, as part of an RFP for a general consultant to be released in December. The contract with Wilshire Associates, the fund’s consultant since 1983, is due to expire in June next year.
