Iran war starting to affect Dutch pension funds' funding ratios

The uncertainty in the financial markets due to the Iran war is starting to affect Dutch pension funds. The funding ratio of the two largest pension funds, ABP and PME, has fallen.

The funding ratio is the ratio between a pension fund’s assets and the value of all accrued pensions. With a lower funding ratio, there is less money to distribute among the pension pots when the fund transitions to the new pension system.

Civil servants’ fund ABP’s funding ratio dropped from 123.5 percent to 119.1 percent. “Due to unrest in the Middle East, it was a difficult first quarter,” ABP chairman Harmen van Wijnen said. “January and February were good investment months. But the news about the war in Iran led to declines in financial markets.”

ABP intends to transition to the new pension system next year. The fund aims to have a funding ratio of at least 110 percent when it makes the switch. “We are keeping a close eye on this leading up to the transition.”

PME’s funding ratio fell from 125.3 to 121.5 percent. The pension fund for people in the metal and tech industries also blames the unrest in the Middle East, though PME chair Alae Laghrich adds that recovery is already happening. “Our funding ratio has already risen to approximately 125 percent. It reflects the current reality, where upward and downward spikes occur more frequently.”

PMT, bpfBOUW, and PFZW have not shared their recent funding ratios as they already transitioned to the new system this year.

In the old system, pension increases depended on the funding ratio. In the new system, the increases depend on how much the funds have earned from investments.