Australian pension funds are going against the grain of pension funds in other countries within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) by holding a higher percentage of equities with low exposure to bonds.
The OECD’s Pension Markets in Focus report found that Australia (like the United States, Chile and Finland) has between 40 and 50 per cent of its pension fund assets in equities, while the majority of other OECD countries appear to favour bonds.
The report also showed pension funds posting a positive net return on investment of 2.7 in 2010, as they slowly climbed back to pre-global financial crisis levels.
While Australia performed above average, it did not make the cut of the top pension fund performers, with New Zealand (10.3 per cent), Chile (10 per cent), Finland (8.9 per cent) and Canada (8.5 per cent) taking the top spots.
Australia’s largest super funds have deepened private markets exposure, scaled internal investment capability, and balanced liquidity as competition and consolidation intensify.
The ATO has revealed nearly $19 billion in lost and unclaimed super, urging over 7 million Australians to reclaim their savings.
The industry super fund has launched a new digital experience designed to make retirement preparation simpler and more personalised for its members.
A hold in the cash rate during the upcoming November monetary policy meeting appears to now be a certainty off the back of skyrocketing inflation during the September quarter.