Inefficiency of pension investment regulation: case of Russia

The purpose of the article is to study the current problems of investment processes in the conditions of transformation of the Ukrainian economy. The relevance of the research was due to significant changes in political, economic and social processes of Ukraine. The research was conducted using general scientific and special methods and methods of research, such as theoretical analysis and synthesis, methods of grouping, modeling, comparison, as well as methods of systematization and scientific synthesis, in particular on materials: Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine, research conducted by the Doing Business Group of the World Bank, rating of Moody’s Investors Service, rating of Global Competitiveness Index 2017/2018 and of European Business Association. The most actual factors of influence of political, economic, criminal and legislative processes on investment potential of Ukraine were analyzed. It was defined that the economic of Ukraine is characterized by the deficiency of capital, progressive technologies, mutual integration of scientific and industrial spheres, developed management and high-tech production and the recommendations to create favorable conditions for investment were made. Positive changes were noted in creating a legal framework for the promotion, protection of investments and intensification of investment activity in Ukraine.

The main component of the bank’s efficient operations is a sufficient amount of deposit resources. The sharp devaluation of the national currency, the unstable situation of banks, and a significant number of bankruptcies adversely affected the propensity of the subjects to save. In the banking sector, a critical situation has developed when depositors, having lost confidence in banking institutions, began to withdraw money from deposit accounts, and in the crisis, this issue becomes the most important, because the massive withdrawal of deposits significantly worsens the liquidity of banks. With that in mind, the purpose of the article is to consider the main trends and prospects for the savings market development in Russia.
The article analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of Russia’s savings market. Using banking statistics, similarities and differences in the savings market are shown, based on determinants such as the share of deposits in bank liabilities; the volume of deposits in national and foreign currencies, the role of leading banks; number of accounts; the volume of guaranteed deposits; and banking conditions. The study focuses on an empirical analysis of the relationship between gross savings and banking variables such as demand deposits, interest spread, and the bank capital to assets ratio. The domestic market of household savings is analyzed. This conclusion is also made visible as a result of the correlation-regression experiment.

The experience of states with limited democracy shows that populist manipulations often result in a collapse of the pension insurance system, and then – in an escalation of economic, political and social instability. Accordingly, the development of tools for identifying and preventing economic populism manifestations does not become irrelevant.
Through analyzing the changes in pension legislation, as well as studying economic indicators’ dynamics, the article shows that pension insurance issues are widely used as tools for populist policy in Ukraine. This ultimately results in the formation of an abnormally low financial stability of the pension system. In particular, during the 2004 presidential election campaign and parliamentary election in 2007, there was a sharp short-term increase in the gap between growth rates of average pension and nominal GDP; significant deviation of replacement rate from its long-term average trajectory; and with some temporary lag, there emerged a substantial increase in transfers from the state budget.
It is noted that the main tools for economic populism in Ukraine are: (1) permanent procrastination of retirement age raising; (2) “manual” pensions indexation; (3) the existence of a VIP pensions and early retirement system for certain population categories; (4) transfer of burden to lower-income social contribution payers as a result of limiting the maximum value of unified social tax base.
The paper suggests a number of measures, the implementation of which could reduce the negative impact of populist decisions on budget balance of the Pension Fund of Ukraine