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Time to rebuild after firestorm
In the financial markets in recent months, creative meltdown has burned whole sectors, not just one company, and the whole basis of new product development over the past decade has been thrown into question PDF
Ucits wrapper adds to funds’ allure
For some fund groups, the European Ucits III legislation was not just a regulatory and compliance hurdle, but an opportunity to create new and innovative product ranges
Fads dominate as creativity falls
The US mutual fund industry’s best attempts at innovation have fallen flat in recent years due to a hairy mix of factors ranging from changes in how funds are distributed to the simple fact that many new products have failed to deliver their promised returns
Moving up the agenda for pension funds
Pension liabilities are a hot topic within the pensions industry. Changes proposed by the UK’s Accounting Standards Board to the way pension liabilities are calculated have led some within the industry to suggest liabilities will balloon by as much as 25 per cent
A long/short answer to risk gains popularity
The proliferation of 130/30 funds has fuelled a debate over who is best qualified to manage them
Investment banks find use for new products
Despite a miserable showing by last year’s fashionable financial products, there remains considerable mystique around the investment banks’ proprietary trading desks
Pressure to find hedge for the cost of living longer
Perhaps the biggest risk facing trustees today is that of longevity, and the pressure to hedge this exposure is greater than it has ever been
Unwanted schemes seek new potential suitors
With premiums generally 10-30 per cent higher than the IAS 19/FRS 17 accounting reserve, new options are springing up to offer a buy-out alternative for pension schemes
New batch of products from crisis fallout
From the credit fallout emerges a new batch of products – simpler, safer and as liquid – say the sell-side, but the verdict from investors is less absolute – indeed, ’creative destruction’ is everywhere
Choices on the up as assets on the rise
The defined contribution pension market is coming of age, and as DC assets rise, the fund industry is beginning to extend the innovations it has brought to the defined benefit pension market into DC
