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CURRENT INVESTMENT STRATEGY: <br /> The effective rate of return for the recent month on the portfolio decreased slightly <br /> to 2.33% due to a mix of investment strategy. Although the City experienced the <br /> negative financial impacts resulting from Fed's aggressive emergency rate cut in <br /> March 2020 for COVID-19 outbreaks, the City's effective rate of return remained <br /> well above the current 5-year U.S.Treasury rates of 0.29% as of June 30, 2020. <br /> Staff expects a swift and deep contraction in economic activities this year that <br /> translates to weaker returns in the near future. Staff continues to invest in longer- <br /> term securities to secure the interest rate and match maturities with future cash <br /> needs. While short-term yields are highly sensitive to the Federal monetary policy, <br /> longer-term yields are more influenced by growth and inflation expectations. <br /> Additionally, staff is balancing the portfolio's credit exposure to pick up incremental <br /> yields while complying with the City's investment policy's mandate of safety, <br /> liquidity, and yield. Staff will continuously monitor this strategy during the fiscal <br /> year. <br /> Section 115 Trust Fund <br /> In June 2018 the City council approved the investment of$28 Million of various <br /> reserves into a Section 115 Trust Fund to help smooth the pension liabilities which <br /> are expected to grow considerably due to the reduction in the CALPERS discount <br /> rate from 7.5% to 7%. The initial investment was made into two separate portfolios, <br /> the first one for $6.7 Million into a Conservative portfolio which is available to pay <br /> the annual unfunded liabilities if necessary. We anticipate this investment to <br /> remain in place for a minimum of three years before being used if required. In <br /> February 2020, Finance staff were authorized to deposit to and withdraw from the <br /> Conservative portfolio an additional amount up to the total annual required <br /> CaIPERS payment. In March and June 2020, two additional $5 Million <br /> contributions were deposited to the Conservative portfolio. <br /> The second portfolio (Capital Growth) addresses the longer-term pension liabilities <br /> and has an initial investment of $21.3 Million. The focus of this portfolio is to earn a <br /> higher rate of return over the next ten years or so before we would need to draw <br /> upon it. Staff does not, at this time, plan to make additional allocations to the <br /> Capital Growth portfolio. <br /> As of June 30, 2020, the Conservative portfolio's market balance was $17.4 <br /> Million, including the $5 Million June contribution. The Conservative portfolio's <br /> investment return for the quarter ending June 30, 2020 was 5.02%. The Capital <br /> Growth portfolio's June 30, 2020 balance was $22.8 Million with the quarterly <br /> investment return of 14.47%. <br /> SAFEKEEPING OF SECURITIES: <br /> The two portfolios are held in third party safekeeping for the benefit of the City of <br /> Pleasanton at US Bank where US Bank is the contractual agent for PARS trust <br /> investments that are managed by Highmark capital Management. <br />