The largest corporate pension plans in the United States experienced a slight drop in their funded status at the end of 2018 due to the sharp decline in equities, according to an analysis by Willis Towers Watson. The study, which looked at the defined benefit pension plans of 389 Fortune 1000 companies, found their pension assets […]
The drama in recent weeks surrounding the outcome of Brexit has proved Shakespearian, but on this side of the pond, should institutional investors be bracing themselves? “We’ve been thinking about this ever since the referendum and we keep updating our probabilities in different ways,” says Peter Westaway, chief European economist at the Vanguard Group. “I think we’ve boiled […]
For pension plan sponsors interested in equities, the top two issues on the radar for 2019 are China-U.S. trade tensions and interest rate movements, says Scott Berg, vice-president and portfolio manager at T. Rowe Price Group Inc. China On China, it’s likely presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping will reach a trade accommodation, he says. […]
The vast majority (91 per cent) of Canadian institutional investors have adjusted their voting and engagement policies to focus more on environmental, social and governance risks, according to a report by marketing agency Edelman. The report, which surveyed 500 Canadian institutional investors, found 65 per cent have made policy adjustments within the past year. As well, […]
Many institutional investors include value-oriented equity strategies in their portfolio to provide protection during declining equity markets. But not all value strategies are created equal, as many found out during the global financial crisis 10 years ago. As well, many investors expected their portfolios to perform better than the broader market, to preserve cash, but this […]
The Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System’s real estate arm is investing $3.3 billion to acquire a portfolio of 19 office buildings across Australia. Oxford Properties Group and Investa Property Group, the Australian company that currently owns the properties, will jointly manage the office portfolio. “Oxford invests for the long term in global gateway cities with a […]
At the first Risk Management Conference, 20 years ago, there were many things plan sponsors probably weren’t thinking about. Currency, for example, says Marlene Puffer, president and CEO, CN Investment Division. Before the elimination of the Foreign Property Rule, plans were mostly invested in Canadian bonds and equities. Instead, the chief concern would have been […]
Uncertainty on how U.S. and Chinese policies will affect trade, Italy’s budget standoff with the European Commission, worry over Brexit and the U.S. Federal Reserve’s monetary policy all imply volatility for the coming year, according to Russell Investment Canada Ltd.’s 2019 market outlook. The firm is remaining neutral on equities and underweight U.S. stock, though it’s maintaining a more […]
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec is lending $150 million to SSQ Life Insurance Co. Inc. SSQ Insurance, a large insurance and investment company based in Quebec, is aiming to use the loan to carry out its strategic plan, which focuses on innovation, digital transformation and Canada-wide development. Read: Caisse invests in Quebec insurance company, takes stake […]
Canadian taxpayers are providing $22 billion each year to the country’s public sector pension plans by assuming undisclosed investment risks, according to a new report by public policy think-tank the Fraser Institute. In the report, its author Malcolm Hamilton suggested public pension funds view the income they provide to plan members on retirement as 20 […]