Chicago Municipal pension fund posts net -11.7% return for 2022

Link: https://www.pionline.com/pension-funds/chicago-municipal-pension-fund-posts-net-117-return-2022?utm_source=Wirepoints+Newsletter&utm_campaign=55b5f7633f-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_895ee9abf9-55b5f7633f-30506353#new_tab

Excerpt:

Chicago Municipal Employees’ Annuity & Benefit Fund returned a net -11.7% for the fiscal year ended Dec. 31.

The $3.2 billion pension fund’s return equaled its policy benchmark return of -11.7% for the period, according to an investment report on its website.

For the three, five and 10 years ended Dec. 31, the pension fund returned an annualized net 3.5%, 4.1% and 6.5%, respectively, compared to the respective benchmarks of 3.8%, 4.8% and 6.5%.

Author(s): Rob Kozlowski

Publication Date: 8 Feb 2023

Publication Site: P&I

Vermont lawmakers seek pension reforms to stem funding shortfalls

Link: https://www.pionline.com/pension-funds/vermont-lawmakers-seek-pension-reforms-stem-funding-shortfalls

Excerpt:

Vermont lawmakers are pushing a plan to reduce a widening shortfall in the state’s retirement systems by asking teachers and state employees to pay more into their pension plans and work more years.

During a March 24 meeting, the Vermont House Government Operations Committee proposed teachers base contribution rates be raised by 1.25% to 2.25% and that most state employees be increased by 1.1%, according to a proposal posted on the Vermont General Assembly website.

The proposal also bumps up the age at which most workers can qualify for retirement benefits, requiring them to reach full Social Security retirement age, which is currently 66 or 67. Some groups of teachers and state employees can now retire as early as 62 or with 30 years of service.

Author(s): Margarida Correia

Publication Date: 29 March 2021

Publication Site: Pensions & Investments

The end of LIBOR to be anything but simple

Link: https://www.pionline.com/investing/end-libor-be-anything-simple

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Excerpt:

LIBOR, which has been plagued by cases of bank manipulation, is set at different currencies, including the U.S. dollar, British pound sterling and euro. New LIBOR-based contracts will cease at the end of 2021, but in November, the Intercontinental Exchange Inc. announced that the ICE Benchmark Administration, which administers LIBOR, would explore ceasing the most utilized U.S. dollar LIBOR tenors in June 2023 instead of late 2021. On March 5, Britain’s Financial Conduct Authority confirmed the 2021 and 2023 cessation dates for LIBOR, although it retains the option for a synthetic calculation if needed.

The extension to June 2023 would allow more time for outstanding contracts to mature, thereby reducing the chance of potential disruptions, U.S. regulators said in a December statement.

But the majority of contracts extend beyond mid-2023.

Author(s): Brian Croce

Publication Date: 8 March 2021

Publication Site: Pensions & Investments

Dow to freeze U.S. pension plans, contribute $1 billion and hike DC match

Link: https://www.pionline.com/retirement-plans/dow-freeze-us-pension-plans-contribute-1-billion-and-hike-dc-match

Excerpt:

Dow Inc., Midland, Mich., will freeze the benefit accruals of its U.S. pension plans at the end of 2023, increase its matching contribution in its defined contribution plans and will contribute $1 billion to the pension plans before the end of the first quarter.

The chemical company announced its plans in an 8-K filing with the SEC on Thursday.

First, Dow will freeze benefit accruals for participants in qualified and non-qualified pension plans, including the Dow Employees’ Pension Plan, the Union Carbide Employees’ Pension Plan and the Dow Chemical Co. Executives’ Supplemental Retirement Plan-Supplemental Benefit, effective Dec. 31, 2023.

Author(s): Rob Kozlowski

Publication Date: 4 March 2021

Publication Site: Pensions & Investments

Funded status of largest U.S. pension plans climbs in 2020

Link: https://www.pionline.com/pension-funds/funded-status-largest-us-pension-plans-climbs-2020

Excerpt:

The average funding ratio of 19 U.S. publicly listed corporations with more than $20 billion in global pension fund liabilities totaled 86.2% at the end of 2020, up from 84.9% at the start of the year, according to a report from Russell Investments.

Strong investment returns offset a decrease in the discount rate of more than 70 basis points that brought the total liabilities of the club to more than $1 trillion for the first time, said the report released Tuesday.

Assets for the “$20 billion club” totaled $901.9 billion as of Dec. 31, up 8.6% from the start of the year, and projected benefit obligations totaled $1.05 trillion, up 7.3% from the start of the year.

Author(s): Rob Kozlowski

Publication Date: 2 March 2021

Publication Site: Pensions & Investments

Multiemployer pension measures cleared for relief bill vote

Link: https://www.pionline.com/legislation/multiemployer-pension-measures-cleared-relief-bill-vote

Excerpt:

Legislation to help struggling multiemployer pension funds is to remain in the COVID-19 relief measure headed for a Senate vote this week.

The package also calls for some funding relief for single-employer plans, through extended amortization periods and pension interest rate smoothing changes.

The pandemic relief package was approved by the House along party lines Feb. 27. Its pension provisions were at risk of being stripped until the Senate parliamentarian ruled late Monday that they fit the rules for a budget reconciliation process that allows Democrats to prevail under a simple majority.

Author(s): Hazel Bradford

Publication Date: 2 March 2021

Publication Site: Pensions & Investments

Senate Republicans oppose Nasdaq diversity rule

Link: https://www.pionline.com/governance/senate-republicans-oppose-nasdaq-diversity-rule

Excerpt:

Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., was among a group of Republicans calling on the SEC to reject Nasdaq’s board diversity proposal.

Republican members of the Senate Banking Committee told the Securities and Exchange Commission to reject a Nasdaq proposal allowing it to require listed companies to publicly disclose the gender and racial diversity of their boards and eventually to have at least two diverse directors, citing a connection between diverse boards and corporate performance.

Author(s): HAZEL BRADFORD

Publication Date: 12 February 2021

Publication Site: Pensions & Investments

Biden’s retirement idea getting the cold shoulder

Link: https://www.pionline.com/defined-contribution/bidens-retirement-idea-getting-cold-shoulder

Excerpt:

Equalized tax advantage proposal being met with skepticism by industry

Alicia Munnell doesn’t think the shift would help because workers typically don’t look at tax incentives.

Trade groups representing plan sponsors have snubbed a proposal floated by President Joe Biden to give individuals across all pay grades equal tax advantages for their retirement savings.

Author(s): MARGARIDA CORREIA

Publication Date: 22 February 2021

Publication Site: Pensions & Investments

States push ahead on private-sector initiatives

Link: https://www.pionline.com/retirement-plans/states-push-ahead-private-sector-initiatives

Excerpt:

To date, 12 states and Seattle have enacted retirement savings programs for private-sector workers. They include OregonSaves with more than 90,000 funded accounts and $92 million in assets, the Illinois Secure Choice retirement savings program with $52.6 million and 82,852 funded accounts, and the $38 million CalSavers Retirement Savings Program that as of February had enrolled 274,024 participants, with another enrollment phase coming up.

The predominant model is an auto IRA, in which employer participation is required if no plan is already offered. Other options are a voluntary payroll deduction Roth IRA, a multiple employer plan, and a service provider marketplace, or a hybrid.

Author(s): Hazel Bradford

Publication Date: 22 February 2021

Publication Site: Pensions & Investments

CalPERS seen weighing proposal on rule changes for hiring, firing of CIO

Link: https://www.pionline.com/pension-funds/calpers-seen-weighing-proposal-rule-changes-hiring-firing-cio

Excerpt:

The CalPERS board is looking at a change in the way it will decide who replaces Yu ‘Ben’ Meng as CIO of the fund.

CalPERS board is expected to weigh a move that would modify a recent governance change calling for the full board in conjunction with the CEO to hire, evaluate and terminate the pension fund’s CIO.

Author(s): ARLEEN JACOBIUS

Publication Date: 23 February 2021

Publication Site: Pensions & Investments

ConEd earmarks $480 million for pension plan contributions

Link: https://www.pionline.com/pension-funds/coned-earmarks-480-million-pension-plan-contributions

Excerpt:

Consolidated Edison Inc., New York, expects to make contributions of $480 million to its pension plans in 2021, according to the company’s 10-K statement filed Feb. 18 with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Most of the contribution — $441 million — will go to the utility holding company’s subsidiary Consolidated Edison Co. of New York (CECONY) Inc.’s pension plan. The company has only U.S. pension plans.

Last year, the total contribution was $332 million, of which $301 million was provided to CECONY’s plan.

Author(s): ROBERT STEYER

Publication Date: 22 February 2021

Publication Site: Pensions & Investments

Graphic: A look at hiring activity in 2020

Link: https://www.pionline.com/interactive/graphic-look-hiring-activity-2020

Graphic:

Excerpt:

Overall hiring activity tracked by Pensions & Investments fell 16.3% to $214.5 billion in 2020. The total number of hires increased to 2,424 in 2020 from 2,220 in 2019. Hires for traditional and alternative asset classes fell 10.4% and 18%, respectively. Activity dipped slightly in the first quarter, but was relatively unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic. As with prior years, commitments to alternative investment vehicles made up the bulk of the mandates, reaching an all-time high of 1,659, up from 1,493 in 2019. Infrastructure had 146 hires, more than double the level five years ago.

….

Real growth: Assets committed to infrastructure have steadily grown over the past 10 years, doubling the amount from five years ago. The number of hires also jumped, from 13 hires in 2010 to 44 hires in 2015 and 133 in 2020.

Author(s): AARON M. CUNNINGHAM

Publication Date: 25 January 2021

Publication Site: Pensions & Investments