The current low interest rate environment poses a significant risk for the long-term financial viability of pension funds and insurance companies, as they seek to generate sufficient returns to meet promises, according to a new OECD report.

This chapter from the 2015 OECD Business and Finance Outlook examines the potential impact of an environment of protracted low interest rates on pension systems and life insurance companies. It describes the mechanisms through which prolonged low interest rates can affect the solvency position of these institutions and uses available data to assess potential impacts.

Addis Ababa - Part of the 3rd International Conference on Financing for Development, this event explored strategies to leverage Africa’s pension funds and other sources of private financing to develop Africa’s infrastructure. Ways to improve the investment climate in Africa using the recently updated Policy Framework for Investment were also be addressed.

This stocktaking report profiles the tax treatment of funded private pension plans across all OECD and EU countries. The information refers to 2015 or the latest year with available data and covers all types of funded private pension plans in each country.

Funded Pension arrangements, in particular defined contribution ones, are playing a growing role in complementing retirement income from public sources in OECD countries and worldwide. However, their design needs to be improved, according to a new OECD report.

This study explores the effectiveness of the incentive mechanisms embedded within the UK’s Funding for Lending Scheme (FLS) for banks’ to expand their supply of lending to medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

The survey monitors and compares the investment behaviour, asset levels, and performances of the largest institutional investors in each region or country covered and analyses in greater depth the general trends observed at a national level.

31/05/2019 - Preliminary data for 2018 show that assets in pension funds amounted to USD 27.6 trillion in the OECD area, close to 4% lower than in 2017. Calculated in national currencies, pension fund assets declined in 12 out of 34 reporting OECD countries, including some of the largest pension markets: Japan (-1.1%), the Netherlands (-1.2%), Switzerland (-0.7%), the United Kingdom (-0.3%) and the United States (-5.0%).

Each year, the OECD publishes a survey of the investment regulation of pension funds which describes the main quantitative investment regulations applied to pension funds in 77 economies. The survey questionnaire covers all types of pension plans financed via pension funds.

Euro area finance ministers meeting this week need to boost the firepower of the European stability funds to at least one trillion euros in order to restore market confidence, OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría said today.

Fundamental reforms have helped put the Portuguese economy back on the right track, but a durable recovery will require additional measures to improve export competitiveness, create jobs and ensure social protection for those most in need, according to the latest OECD Economic Survey of Portugal.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are fundamental for inclusive growth and jobs, but they need to broaden their sources of finance in order to reduce their vulnerability to volatile credit market developments, according to two new OECD reports.

The current low interest rate environment poses a significant risk for the long-term financial viability of pension funds and insurance companies, as they seek to generate sufficient returns to meet promises, according to a new OECD report.

As described in the 2016 OECD Economic Survey of Indonesia, economic growth is expected to pick up over the course of 2016 and into 2017. Despite persistently weak external conditions, confidence is returning, with inflation moderating, a stable rupiah and government investment in infrastructure gathering pace.

This study explores the effectiveness of the incentive mechanisms embedded within the UK’s Funding for Lending Scheme (FLS) for banks’ to expand their supply of lending to medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

This study explores the effectiveness of the incentive mechanisms embedded within the UK’s Funding for Lending Scheme (FLS) for banks’ to expand their supply of lending to medium sized enterprises (SMEs)

After several years of subdued growth, economic output accelerated in 2016 supported by a tax reform that entered into force in 2015-16, and more recently a pick-up in international trade.

Despite numerous headwinds and adverse shocks, Turkey's real GDP has grown by more than 34% over the past 5 years, faster than any other OECD country except for Ireland and only slightly less than China and India.

This paper exploits a new database that is unique in its scale and scope containing detailed information on over two million projects carried out by one million firms that benefited from the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Cohesion Fund in 25 EU member countries during the multi-annual financial framework 2007-2013.

In a growing number of OECD countries policymakers are designing specific regulations for lending-based crowdfunding platforms.

This case study provides an overview of the Brazilian political financing system, including the applicable legislation, categories of political parties and funding, regulation mechanisms and transparency initiatives. It also reviews some of the tools provided to political actors to comply with the legal standards, and draft legislation designed to strengthen and reform the political funding system.

Blog article asks if our democratic processes are more responsive to the rich than they are to the poor and the middle class?

Fraud and corruption are undermining the impact of the European Structural and Investment Funds, with recent high-profile cases resulting in mass protests and political upheaval. So what can EU governments do to tackle the problem?

The US Federal Reserve will probably leave interest rates near zero on Wednesday, and pledge to do whatever it takes to support the world's largest economy, which contracted at the sharpest pace since the Great Recession during the first quarter. Measures to curb the rapid spread of Covid-19 forced many businesses to close, throwing millions of people out of work. Still, traders will be looking at any clues on the central bank's likely future path as well as a detailed forecast for the economy, as policymakers are seen downgrading their assessment of the job market, household spending and inflation outlook. Interest Rate in the United States averaged 5.60 percent from 1971 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 20 percent in March of 1980 and a record low of 0.25 percent in December of 2008. In the United States, the authority to set interest rates is divided between the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve (Board) and the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). The Board decides on changes in discount rates after recommendations submitted by one or more of the regional Federal Reserve Banks. The FOMC decides on open market operations, including the desired levels of central bank money or the desired federal funds market rate. This page provides the latest reported value for - United States Fed Funds Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Candidates at Wharton among those protesting over diminished educational experience

Initiative would be modelled on Singapore’s Temasek with focus on start-ups

Saudi Arabia’s PIF has snapped up stakes in a cruise operator, oil groups and a football club

Government to provide £617m to plug gaps in rescue package based on business rates system

Crystal Amber’s move shows sign of confidence in struggling UK group

EU hosts online pledging event but €7.5bn target for vaccines, testing and treatment will only be first step

Pledging conference underscores urgency to develop vaccine and distribute it worldwide

English providers warn of funding shortfall as pandemic adds pressure to sector

Finance minister says QIA aims to identify opportunities as asset prices plunge

London mayor wants to renegotiate £2bn of existing loans with government to ease cash flow

Elite university comes under fire for taking $9m in assistance while having a huge endowment

Art and Mammon are uneasy bedfellows: witness the recent furore over the Sydney Biennale. The solution, says the FT’s arts writer, is for institutions to embrace debates over their funding, not run from them  

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Hundreds of thousands of investors with money trapped in the Woodford Equity Income fund found out this week that the fund is to be liquidated, the fund manager would be sacked and that their money would be returned to them eventually. Claer Barrett, FT money editor, talks to guests about how much money investors have lost and how much they are likely to get back and when. Plus we hear from someone who was landed with a £476 fine and a criminal record - just for forgetting to charge her iphone. 

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President Lenín Moreno says deal will save his country from Venezuela’s fate

Heavy redemptions during coronavirus-induced sell-off  spark concerns

More volatility ahead as US oil storage capacity is depleting, analysts warn

European Commission and MEPs warn regulator over watering down Priips performance scenarios decried as misleading

UBS drops to second spot while Invesco slips to third in Z-Ben analysis of investment market

Popular funds’ performance woes compounded by coronavirus market sell-off

Fitch says scale of support points to the systemic importance of $55tn asset management market

Schemes to look at cutting emissions in sectors such as transport in push to meet 2050 ‘net zero’ target

Investment group that owns US malls pledges to help groups weather coronavirus crisis

Big-name investors such as Elliott and Caxton act on concerns over debasement of money

Eight-and-a-half-hour day is needlessly long, say customers

Charging 2 per cent to hold assets when returns are low is wrong, writes Sebastian Mallaby

Lobby groups led by UK Finance warn there is likelihood of ‘severe’ impact to borrowers