In response to the coronavirus pandemic, more than half of Canadian employers (53 per cent) are enhancing their well-being programs, while 27 per cent are planning to make changes to improve health benefits, according to a new survey by Willis Towers Watson. The survey, which polled nearly 150 Canadian employers with more than 800,000 employees, […]
Historically, many institutional investors have been wary of emerging markets despite their growing role in the global economy, but the tide may be shifting, according to new research by Vontobel Asset Management. “In many cases, [institutional investors and discretionary wealth managers’] allocations to emerging market assets have stalled in single figures as a percentage of […]
Canadians’ mental health continues to be affected by the impact of the coronavirus, including concerns about a second wave, ongoing economic uncertainties and the added concerns of students returning to school, according to Morneau Shepell Ltd.’s latest mental-health index. For the fifth consecutive month, it showed a negative mental-health score, at negative 11, a slight […]
Evidence is growing that company standards on social factors are a major risk and opportunity set for institutional investors to examine. The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted many social and ethical considerations that aren’t typically factored into the broader analysis that institutional investors perform on environmental, social and governance issues, says Bonnie Lyn de Bartok, founder […]
While nearly half (45 per cent) of Canadians said they’re feeling less financially secure since the coronavirus pandemic began, that number is slightly higher (49 per cent) among younger Canadians, according to a new survey by Sun Life Canada. The survey, which polled 1,000 Canadians, also found more than half (55 per cent) of younger […]
While massive monetary policy response didn’t drive inflation following the 2008/09 financial crisis, institutional investors are mulling over whether things may be different this time. The global economy has rarely seen such a swift willingness to engage with economic calamity on both monetary and fiscal levels, says Erik Weisman, chief economist and fixed income portfolio […]
Alberta Blue Cross is sharing exercise videos and tips on social media to help its employees and all Albertans make fitness a part of their work-from-home lives. Before the pandemic, the benefits provider encouraged its employees to take 15-minute wellness breaks led by Terry Skidnuk, a workplace wellness specialist. With the majority of people now working from home, it’s making […]
Canadian employers expect a modest hiring pace over the next three months, according to a new survey by ManpowerGroup Canada. The survey, which polled more than 1,200 employers across Canada, found 12 per cent of respondents said they plan to increase their staffing levels in the fourth quarter of 2020, while nine per cent said […]
While massive monetary policy response didn’t drive inflation following the 2008/09 financial crisis, institutional investors are mulling over whether things may be different this time. The global economy has rarely seen such a swift willingness to engage with economic calamity on both monetary and fiscal levels, says Erik Weisman, chief economist and fixed income portfolio manager at MFS […]
In China, keeping the novel coronavirus under control is key to maintaining the economic recovery, and there are reasons to be optimistic, despite a breakdown in U.S.-China relations. In the last two weeks of August, there were a total of only 187 new coronavirus cases in China, and none of those were the result of […]