Positive return on investments in first half year of 2023

In our news flash of March this year, we reported that 2022 had been a disappointing year in terms of return on our investments. In the first six months of 2023, our investments performed a lot better, even above expectations. At the end of last year, investors feared that high energy prices would lead to a downturn of the economy in 2023, but that didn't happen. So that's good news for your pension!

Equity and bonds were on the up
Our pension fund invests all pension contributions. We do that because investments yield better results than savings. We invest mostly in equity, bonds and real estate. Share prices in developed markets performed particularly well in the first six months of this year: 12.6%. In emerging markets, share prices rose as well, albeit at a lower rate: 1.8%. Our investments in direct real estate in the Netherlands were, unfortunately, less successful: -8%. The same goes for the European and American property funds we invest in. We booked better results in corporate bonds. Investment grade corporate bonds rose by 1.4% and high-yield corporate bonds by 2.8%. And our portfolio of sovereign and semi-sovereign bonds yielded well over 3%, despite rising swap rates.

Source: www.bloomberg.com