The Final Countdown THE FINAL COUNTDOWN $ 11.5% 37.1%


The increase in the aggregate UK defined benefit pension scheme deficit to £176.3bn in May Source: Pension Protection Fund


$2trn


The minimum that local and regional governments globally will borrow in each of the next two years Source: S&P


The amount by which the UK economy is forecast to shrink in 2020 Source: OECD


48 35%


The fall in the amount of gold bought by central banks in April (31.6 tonnes) com- pared to a year earlier, due to the strength in central bank buying in the past two years Source: World Gold Council


27%


The predicted fall of office rents in Lon- don’s West End this year Source: RBC


£200bn


The amount of pension money that is forecast to be invested in UK infrastruc- ture during the next 10 years Source: Legal & General


Quote of the Month


“We are slightly more cautious about illiquids than we might have been if we were having this conversation


in February.” Stephen O’Neill, NEST


42 | portfolio institutional July 2020 | issue 94 116


The number of AIM companies that have cancelled, cut or suspended their divi- dend since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic Source: MBH Corporation


+2.5%


Hedge fund performance in May thanks to equity and event-driven strategies Source: HFRI Fund Weighted Composite Index


bn


The investment secured by UK fintech companies in 2019 Source: Robert Walters


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