In volatile market environments, adding real assets to defined contribution pension plan portfolios has the ability to provide diversification benefits and give members a “much smoother ride” to retirement, according to Andrew Knox, managing director of the Franklin global real asset fund at Franklin Templeton Investments. Speaking during Benefits Canada’s 2023 DC Investment Forum in […]
Institutional investors will continue to invest in private credit as the market grows in 2024, according to one expert. Indeed, private credit opportunities are on the rise, since companies are struggling to obtain financing through traditional methods, says Arif Bhalwani, chief executive officer and managing director at Third Eye Capital. “A lot of these banks […]
In the pursuit of long-term portfolio construction solutions, institutional investors are increasingly turning their attention to the private debt asset class, says David Sum, director of the alternative income group at Ninepoint Partners. “Looking ahead, we believe the current high interest rate environment and liquidity constraints from banks and the syndicated market creates a favourable […]
Manitoba’s Teachers’ Retirement Allowances Fund returned negative 0.42 per cent in 2022, exceeding its benchmark return of negative 5.04 per cent. “While we are pleased with these short-term results, our longer-term results are equally favourable,” said Jeff Norton, the TRAF’s president and chief executive officer, in its annual report. “Over the past 20 years to […]
An article on the federal government’s plan to scrap Canada mortgage bonds and the potential impact on pension funds was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com over the last week. Here are the five most popular news stories of the week: 1. Feds’ plan to discontinue Canada mortgage bonds may limit pension funds’ abilities to mitigate risk: PIAC […]
The federal government’s plan to consolidate Canada mortgage bonds into the Government of Canada bond program could limit pension funds’ ability to mitigate risk through diversification, according to the Pension Investment Association of Canada. In an open letter to Finance Canada, the PIAC said the move may force institutional investors to choose between accepting lower […]
While China’s presence on emerging market indexes may be shrinking, the case for investing in it remains compelling, said Vivian Lin Thurston, a partner and portfolio manager for emerging markets growth at William Blair Investment Management, during a session at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2023 Global Investment Conference. “China now accounts for approximately 31 per […]
When investing in external asset managers, pension funds are really investing in teams of people, according to Brandon Gill New, director and head of multi-strategy investing and digital assets at the OPSEU Pension Trust, speaking during the Canadian Investment Review‘s 2023 Global Investment Conference. “It’s not like buying a stock or a bond,” she said, […]
The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board is bracing for headwinds in the event of a recession, but says a wide range of investments makes it well-positioned for uncertain economic conditions. The CPPIB reported Wednesday it earned a net return of 1.3 per cent in its latest fiscal year as inflation and rising interest rates weighed on both […]
When two U.S. banks failed this month, among the investors who lost millions were U.S. public sector pension funds responsible for ensuring the retirements of teachers, firefighters and other government workers. Since the pension funds are diversified investors whose holdings in Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank were small portions of their portfolios, experts aren’t […]