White Papers

White Paper

February 2012
Annuities as an asset class
The Defined Contribution Solutions team analyze annuities as a set of cash flows similar to a coupon bond. They argue that, for most participants in defined contribution pension plans, the decision for annuities should not be a binary one (0% or 100% annuities) but a question of diversification: How much of annuity should be purchased, and the strategy should be for building up the targeted allocation. Read the paper pdf

NB THIS IS FOR PROFESSIONAL INVESTORS ONLY (INCLUDING CONSULTANTS)

Strategic Investment Advisory - Americas

August 2011
Pension risk management: The discipline needed to protect contributions
Francois Pellerin, head of Asset Liability Investment Solutions, analyzes the impact of contributions made to US corporate pension plans, and dispels a common misconception that market performance is the main determinant of funded status. He also highlights the importance of protecting contributions through pension risk management and discusses how funded status may drive a plan sponsor's actions. Read more pdf

NB THIS IS FOR PROFESSIONAL INVESTORS ONLY (INCLUDING CONSULTANTS)

White Paper

March 2011
Hedge Fund Risk Modelling: Linking hedge fund and traditional asset risk
More and more investors hold hedge funds as an integral part of their overall portfolio, and growing numbers of multi-asset products include an allocation to hedge funds. These developments call for a consistent way of integrating hedge funds in an overall portfolio. A new model that achieves that objective is presented in this paper by Vincent Couson, head of strategic investment solutions, and Sa Lu, analyst. such as equities, fixed income or commodities. Read the paper pdf

NB THIS IS FOR PROFESSIONAL INVESTORS ONLY (INCLUDING CONSULTANTS)

Global Investment Solutions - Topical paper

December 2010
The European Single Currency: growing pains or structural flaws?
The integrity of the Eurozone and the feasibility of Europe's single currency are being seriously called into question. Ongoing tensions in the Eurozone financial markets are viewed by many as evidence that the single currency project is fundamentally flawed. Some economists argue that the peripheral European countries whose deficits have exploded cannot survive within the single currency area. Others argue that core Eurozone members like Germany will not want to remain in a currency system that could drag their own economies down. Read more (eng) pdf (deu) pdf (fra) pdf (ita) pdf