Since using a single benchmark portfolio to measure a pension plan’s funding status paints a narrow picture, a new report by PBI Actuaries and Consultants looked at four different portfolio types to see how the equity fall off at the end of the year, among other market events, affected different asset mixes. The liability portfolio kept […]
FTSE Russell has built a series of customizable multi-asset indexes. The FTSE Multi-Asset Composite Index series will focus on measuring cross-asset market performance over a number of regions including the U.S., Europe, China as well as other emerging markets. The series was built in response to demand from clients for methods to measure multi-asset performance with more accuracy […]
In the face of a challenging capital market and its subsequent volatility, defined contribution plan sponsors must consider the affect on plan member behaviour, said Colin Sinclare, managing director of institutional sales for Western Canada at MFS Investment Management. “Volatility affects the compounding of returns in DC plan members savings plans. As well, it has behavioural […]
New Zealand government pension funds are calling on Facebook Inc., Alphabet Inc. and Twitter Inc. to reign in the proliferation of hate on their platforms in the wake of the Christchurch terrorist attack in March. The New Zealand Super Fund, Government Superannuation Fund, National Provident Fund and Kiwi Wealth, as well as the country’s Accident Compensation Corp., […]
Limiting global warming is essential to institutional investors, according to a new report by Mercer Canada. The report models three different scenarios, examining the impact of average warming of two, three and four degrees Celsius over three timeframes: 2030, 2050 and 2100. For both investors and the planet, limiting warming to two degrees is ideal, […]
FTSE International Ltd. is appointing Paul Bowes in the newly created role of Canadian country head. In the position, Bowes will oversee the Toronto team and report to Waqas Samud, the organization’s chief executive officer, who is also the group director for information services at the London Stock Exchange Group. “I’m excited to have Paul join […]
After December 2018 wreaked havoc on the markets, ending the year on a sour note for many Canadian defined benefit pension plans, most of the damage was reversed at the beginning of 2019, according to Mercer Canada’s pension health index. The index, which represents the solvency ratio of a hypothetical plan, rose from 102 per […]
Canadian defined benefit pension plans’ solvency position rose in the first quarter of 2019, according to two new pension indexes. Representing the solvency ratio of a hypothetical plan, Mercer Canada’s index sat at 106 per cent on March 31, up from 102 per cent at the start of the year. The median solvency ratio of Mercer clients’ pension plans […]
The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board is investing $750 million in Aqua America Inc., the second largest publicly traded water and wastewater utility based in the U.S. The investment is an important step in Aqua’s efforts to obtain permanent financing for their pending acquisition of Peoples Natural Gas Co., according to a press release, which noted the acquisition will […]
With Brexit looming, European investor confidence dipped while North American confidence rose slightly in March compared to February, according to State Street Corp.’s latest global investor confidence survey. Globally, investor confidence rose 0.4 points to 71.3 in March. Confidence in North America rose to 68.3 from 66.2, while it declined in Europe by 7.8 points to […]