Japan pension fund posts record return as stocks rally

Tokyo

JAPAN'S US$1.1 trillion retirement fund posted its best annual return on record, buoyed by gains in stocks and a weaker yen.

The Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) delivered a 12 per cent return in the year ended March 31, the most since its 2001 inception, it said in a statement. Assets under management swelled to 137.5 trillion yen (S$1.5 trillion), also a record, as domestic stocks gained 30 per cent. The yen's 14 per cent decline against the greenback helped overseas equities provide a 22 per cent return, while local bonds made 2.8 per cent.