Broad examples of divergence, across many asset classes and geographies, could be an indicator that markets are headed for more turmoil than the surface appearance currently indicates, according to a strategy note from Unigestion. Divergence refers to a phenomenon when segments of financial markets that tend to move in sync begin to do the opposite. In […]
The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan has made two new appointments to its executive team. Gillian Brown, who joined the pension fund in 1995, is senior managing director of capital markets. Her previous roles at Ontario Teachers’ include equity trader, portfolio manager and managing director of insurance linked, credit and equity products. Read: OTPP posts 3.2% return for first […]
Institutional investors that divested from fossil fuels in the past five years didn’t do so at the expense of returns, according to new data by Genus Capital Management Inc. The firm’s 2018 divestment report, which looked at the returns gained by its Fossil Free CanGlobe equity fund, showed it beat its own benchmark and the Canadian stock market […]
Horizons ETFs Management (Canada) Inc.’s marijuana life sciences index exchange-traded fund has reached $1 billion in assets under management. Indicated by the ticker symbol HMMJ, the fund is the first and largest of its kind to offer direct exposure to marijuana-related North American-listed companies as a cohesive index, according to a news release. Since it was […]
As the Canadian cannabis industry blazes a path of growth in the run-up to October’s legalization, so does the number of related publicly listed stocks trading on North America’s largest indexes. Getting in on the action, some of Canada’s public pension funds are starting to look for exposure to cannabis companies, according to a report […]
Gains from U.S. equities and shrinking liabilities led to healthier Canadian defined benefit pension plans at the beginning of September, according to Aon’s latest data. Its median solvency ratio, which tracks the plans it administers, rose one percentage point since Aug. 1, 2018, to 102.9 per cent. The number of plans that are fully funded also rose […]
While investing sustainably is still a relatively minor factor in institutional investment decisions, global investors expect it to continue to grow in importance, according to new research by Schroders. “Investors clearly recognize that investing sustainably is going to be more and more important going forward, but this approach is yet to sit at the heart of their […]
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec’s executive vice-president of Quebec, Christian Dubé, is leaving the pension fund to run for the Coalition Avenir Quebec. The provincial political party confirmed to The Canadian Press that Dubé will run in the Montreal-area riding of La Prairie. He previously represented the Levis riding in the legislature between 2012 and […]
eSports could be the next big growth sector, drawing the attention of institutional investors, according to a new report by Greystone Managed Investments Inc. The sector includes competitive video-gaming companies, as well as streaming services because they target both those who play the games and people who watch others play them as entertainment. The firm noted […]
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec has purchased 5.84 million additional shares in SPIE, a European multi-technical services provider. The investment, which totals more than $151 million, is in addition to shares the Caisse has been adding to since 2011, bringing its total investment in the company to more than $422 million. Read: Caisse posts […]