SIFMA Cautions on Proposed Swap Rule Changes
February 22, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – A trade group has weighed in with concerns about proposed changes in the rules on business conduct standards for swap...
Administration
Public Fund CIOs Weigh in on Swaps Regulation
February 22, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – The investment chiefs of some of the nation’s largest public pension funds have expressed concerns about proposed regulations regarding swaps.
Improved Funding Required for COLA under OK Pension Measure
February 18, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Legislation designed to put state pension plans on better financial footing was approved by an Oklahoma House committee.
FINRA Slaps Lincoln Companies with $600K in Fines
February 17, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has fined Lincoln Financial Securities, Inc. (LFS) and Lincoln Financial Advisors Corporation (LFA) for not adequately protecting...
SEC Probe into Detroit Pensions Reported Getting Bigger
February 17, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is pursuing a broadened probe focusing on the city of Detroit's two public pension plans, according...
CalPERS Approves Placement Agent Policy Additions
February 17, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) –The California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) Board of Administration has approved a series of measures officials said further strengthen the fund's policies on...
ETF Providers Settle Ticker Dispute
February 16, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Invesco PowerShares and Select Sector SPDRs have come to terms over a trademark suit filed last year.
Uncommitted Private Equity Assets Could Prove Problematic
February 16, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – Private equity investors need to be aware of a potential problem in how the industry puts to work a balance of capital committed...
Derivatives Rules Could Hurt Pensions
February 16, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The American Benefits Council and the Committee on Investment of Employee Benefit Assets (CIEBA) contend the Dodd-Frank financial reform process is moving too...
Pension Funding Has Modest Muni Bond Cost Impact
February 15, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – A new study analyzing 37,500 state and local government bond issues found that pension funding raises rates by a modest 3 to 7...
Study Backs Value Add from Stable Value Assets
February 15, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – No other asset class studied has dominated stable value (SV) funds since the inception of stable funds in late 1988, a new study...
Bill Would Ban Use of Placement Agents by KY Retirement Systems
February 15, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – Kentucky lawmakers have proposed a bill to ban the use of assets of state retirement systems from paying placement agents.
Florida Pension Chief Cleared of Ethics Violations
February 15, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The Florida Commission on Ethics has dismissed a complaint against pension chief Ash Williams, finding no indication he violated conflict of interest laws.
NYC Considers Firing Managers Who Disparage Pensions
February 15, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – Newly hired managers for part of New York City’s $108 billion pension fund might be fired if they criticize workers’ benefits, Bloomberg reports.
Lawmakers Hear Public Pensions aren’t Dying
February 14, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) –Keith Brainard, Research Director of the National Association of State Retirement Administrators (NASRA), told the U.S. House of Representative’s Judiciary Committee that state and...
SPARK Finalizes 403(b) Info Sharing Standards
February 14, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – Following a recent two-week public comment period on a draft version, the SPARK Institute has released a final updated version of its information...
Groups Offer Fiduciary Change Suggestions
February 11, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – Two trade groups have applauded the U.S. Department of Labor’s proposed redefinition of a fiduciary, but still suggested a handful of potential improvements...
Firms Should Engage Managers More in Corporate Transactions
February 11, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Companies are underutilizing frontline managers in key phases of the integration process in corporate transactions, according to a recent study by Towers Watson.
AR Pension Fund Suing State Street over Foreign Exchange Trades
February 11, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - State Street Corp. is being sued by an Arkansas pension fund for overcharging clients on currency transactions.
Americans Aware of Tax Changes, but not Sure They Will Help
February 11, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - A majority of U.S. adults recently polled say they are familiar with the changes to extend unemployment benefits (69%), extend the Bush-era tax...