CalPERS leads fundamental index charge…but no challenge to cap-weighted orthodoxy yet

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Two words explain why no pension fund has yet installed a fundamental indexing strategy as the core of its equity portfolio, according to one of the concept’s originators, Rob Arnott
– “maverick risk”. About the closest a fund has come is CalPERS, which views fundamental indexing as an enhanced index play,
and recently approved a further
expansion of its US$2 billion
commitment to the concept. But
that’s a drop in the ocean in
the context of a US$177 billion          system.

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CalPERS leads fundamental index charge…but no challenge to cap-weighted orthodoxy yet

Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:”Table Normal”; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:””; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} Two words explain why no pension fund has yet installed a fundamental indexing strategy as the core of its equity portfolio, according to one of the concept’s originators, Rob Arnott – “maverick risk”. About the closest a fund has come is CalPERS, which views fundamental indexing as an enhanced index play, and recently approved a further expansion of its US$2 billion commitment to the concept. But that’s a drop in the ocean in the context of a US$177 billion          system.

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IFM launches after-tax capability for Aussie shares

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Industry Funds Management (IFM) has built an internal system to automatically evaluate the tax implications of its investment decisions – before trades are executed – across its active and passive Australian equities funds. Dubbed ATLAS, the after-tax listed Australian securities system draws on a database of trading data already stored by IFM to identify the impacts that trades will have on the franking credits and capital gains tax (CGT) liabilities tied to shareholdings. “We can analyse, pre-trade, the full after-tax consequences of a transaction,” Aidan Puddy, executive director – listed equities at IFM, said.


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IFM launches after-tax capability for Aussie shares

Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:”Table Normal”; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:””; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} Industry Funds Management (IFM) has built an internal system to automatically evaluate the tax implications of its investment decisions – before trades are executed – across its active and passive Australian equities funds. Dubbed ATLAS, the after-tax listed Australian securities system draws on a database of trading data already stored by IFM to identify the impacts that trades will have on the franking credits and capital gains tax (CGT) liabilities tied to shareholdings. “We can analyse, pre-trade, the full after-tax consequences of a transaction,” Aidan Puddy, executive director – listed equities at IFM, said.

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The end of the world is nigh … or is it?

Greg BrightThe funds management industry is in trouble. Of that there is little doubt. Head count among the major managers has been cut by at least 10 per cent, according to a Watson Wyatt report last month. Among hedge fund managers, the head count is down an average 20 per cent. And the worst is yet to come, from the funds managers’ business perspective.


Read more

The end of the world is nigh … or is it?

Greg BrightThe funds management industry is in trouble. Of that there is little doubt. Head count among the major managers has been cut by at least 10 per cent, according to a Watson Wyatt report last month. Among hedge fund managers, the head count is down an average 20 per cent. And the worst is yet to come, from the funds managers’ business perspective.

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More than tax breaks needed for big mergers

Michael BaileyOne of Ian Silk’s favourite quotes about the 2006 merger between STA and ARF is that “the planets were in alignment”. Perhaps a minor astrological miracle is what it takes for a super fund merger to get up these days, because nothing remotely comparable to the $20 billion get-together that created AustralianSuper has happened since.


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More than tax breaks needed for big mergers

Michael BaileyOne of Ian Silk’s favourite quotes about the 2006 merger between STA and ARF is that “the planets were in alignment”. Perhaps a minor astrological miracle is what it takes for a super fund merger to get up these days, because nothing remotely comparable to the $20 billion get-together that created AustralianSuper has happened since.

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Stuck in the waiting room

Working with doctors and administrators to improve the group insurance experience

Group insurance is coming of age in Australia. It was only a decade ago that the most group cover one could hope for from a personal statement (that is, not requiring any medical tests) was about $300,000. Today, that cover can be more like $1,000,000, and the form is a lot shorter to boot.

MICHAEL BAILEY looks at the work that super funds, their administrators and insurers have done to achieve such advances, and the technological and process enhancements that continue to be made in an effort to rouse Australians from their ambivalence towards death, total permanent disablement and salary continuance insurance.


Read more

Stuck in the waiting room

Working with doctors and administrators to improve the group insurance experience

Group insurance is coming of age in Australia. It was only a decade ago that the most group cover one could hope for from a personal statement (that is, not requiring any medical tests) was about $300,000. Today, that cover can be more like $1,000,000, and the form is a lot shorter to boot. MICHAEL BAILEY looks at the work that super funds, their administrators and insurers have done to achieve such advances, and the technological and process enhancements that continue to be made in an effort to rouse Australians from their ambivalence towards death, total permanent disablement and salary continuance insurance.

Read more

China Investment Corporation restructures and de-risks

The China Investment Corporation (CIC) has taken the opportunity to reorganise its investment operations and focus on less risky investments. The fledgling sovereign wealth fund, founded in September 2007 with US$200 billion in foreign reserves to invest internationally, has scrapped its equity, alternatives and fixed income divisions and created four new arms to sit alongside the strategic asset allocation and research department and report to the chief investment officer, Gao Xiqing.


Read more

China Investment Corporation restructures and de-risks

The China Investment Corporation (CIC) has taken the opportunity to reorganise its investment operations and focus on less risky investments. The fledgling sovereign wealth fund, founded in September 2007 with US$200 billion in foreign reserves to invest internationally, has scrapped its equity, alternatives and fixed income divisions and created four new arms to sit alongside the strategic asset allocation and research department and report to the chief investment officer, Gao Xiqing.

Read more