Special Report: How to play the ageing population theme

SPECIAL REPORT

When it comes to making long-term investment decisions, megatrends such as an ageing population simply cannot be ignored. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the proportion of people aged over 60 worldwide is growing faster than any other age group, as a result of both longer life expectancy and declining fertility rates.

Put into figures, the organisation estimates that between 2000 and 2050, the proportion of the world’s population aged over 60 will double from 11% to 22% – which translates into around 1.4 billion extra elderly people. A common misconception is that an ageing population is just a Western phenomenon. However, while the United Nations notes the median age in developed countries rose from 29 in 1950 to 37.3 in 2000 and is forecast to rise to 45.5 by 2050, an upward trend in the developing world is also gathering pace. Of the 15 countries with more than 10 million older people, seven are...