Amid concerns of energy independence and rising costs, institutional investors are increasing their investments in U.S. power plants and electricity-generating assets, said Aleksandar Andonov, associate professor of finance at the University of Amsterdam, during a webinar hosted by the International Centre for Pension Management. Andonov shared the results of a study he conducted in partnership […]
The median solvency ratio of Ontario defined benefit pension plans rose during the first quarter of 2023, from 112 per cent at the beginning of the year to 115 per cent at the end of March, according to the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario’s latest pension solvency report. During the quarter, pension fund investment returns averaged […]
Despite many institutional investors pressing pause on their real estate activities in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, those that keep calm and carry on with a focus on diversification and innovation are poised to emerge as winners. “Real estate values, like other investment vehicles, can vary at different times based on shifting demand […]
Defined benefit pension plan sponsors using overlay strategies will gain more flexibility amid rising inflation now that the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions has released guidance allowing them to disregard the overlay when measuring going-concern liabilities, says James Koo, a partner in Aon’s wealth solutions division. In May 2022, the OSFI raised the maximum […]
Global pension assets fell 16.7 per cent to US$47.9 trillion in 2022, driven largely by a correction in fixed income and equities markets, according to a new report by WTW’s Thinking Ahead Institute. While the report found Canada’s pension asset values dropped by about 18 per cent in 2022, as of last August, it held roughly six […]
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec is appointing Maxime Aucoin as executive vice-president of depositors and total portfolio. In the new role, Aucoin, who’s currently responsible for portfolio construction, asset allocation and currency management, will also be responsible for economic and financial analysis, global strategy and depositor advisory services. With 10 years of […]
In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, institutional investors are increasingly factoring geopolitical risks into portfolio construction, according to John Bai, senior vice-president and chief investment officer at NEI Investments, during a 2023 economic outlook seminar hosted by the Canadian Pension and Benefits Institute on Wednesday. “All of a sudden, geopolitical risks went from […]
While the vast majority (85 per cent) of institutional investors believe the economy is in a recession or will enter a recession next year, two-thirds (65 per cent) think stagflation is the bigger risk ahead, according to a survey by Natixis Investment Managers. The survey, which polled 500 institutional investors across the globe, found more than half […]
Just 0.9 per cent of 35 million U.S. defined contribution pension plan members ceased making contributions during the first quarter of 2022, according to a report by the Investment Company Institute. While this percentage was slightly higher than in the first quarter of 2021 (0.8 per cent), it was a substantial drop from 2020 (1.4 […]
As a nuclear power provider, Bruce Power’s culture emphasizes the importance of risk-averseness. This is reflected in the company’s efforts to secure the indexed benefits offered to its 6,500 defined benefit pension plan members. “We have many, many checks and balances in place — not just on the operational side, but also when it comes […]