Global institutional investors’ assets under management rose 7.3 per cent in 2017 to US$36.2 trillion, the largest increase in five years, according to the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum. The London, England, and Singapore-based independent think-tank’s report tracks 750 global public pension, sovereign funds and central banks, holding assets equivalent to 45 per cent of the […]
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec is increasing its stake in Chicago-based Invenergy to a 52.4 per cent ownership of the company. The company has developed renewable energy projects producing about 14,000 megawatts of power, including wind and solar power generation facilities, as well as advanced energy storage, around the world. “CDPQ is leading […]
The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board posted a net annual return of 11.6 per cent as the end of its fiscal year on March 31, 2018. Adding $39.4 billion to its overall holdings, the fund now boasts $356.1 billion in assets under management. The increase included a $36.7-billion return after all expenses and $2.7 billion in […]
The carbon footprint of Bâtirente’s overall equities portfolio is 35 per cent lower than its benchmark, according to a report by the Quebec-based pension fund. The report also shows that the carbon footprint for Bâtirente’s three equity funds — global, small-cap and Canadian — is lower than their respective benchmarks. In the case of the small-cap fund, it […]
The funded status of the Segal Group Inc.’s model multi-employer pension plan dipped to 98 per cent during the first quarter of 2018, down from 101 per cent in the third quarter of 2017, according to a new report. Canadian equities took the lead in dragging the fund lower, partially due to its higher weighting […]
Canadian institutional investors that use exchange-traded funds allocate an average 18.8 per cent of total assets to them, according to research by Greenwich Associates. The research, which interviewed 52 global institutional investors, found that the primary driver behind the increased use of ETFs for Canadians is their versatility. Some 70 per cent of participants characterized their ETF […]
Canadian defined benefit pension plans held steady in positive territory in the first quarter of 2018 with returns of 0.2 per cent, according to RBC Investor and Treasury Services. That’s down, however, from returns of 2.9 per cent in the first quarter of 2017 and 4.4 per cent in the final quarter of last year. Canadian equities took […]
Despite significant improvements recently to pension plan solvency levels, the start of 2018 has been a challenging one for institutional investors. Shifting monetary policies have put pressure on bond portfolios, while rising yields have started to affect the equity markets. On the equity side, the S&P/TSX composite index has gone from a high of almost […]
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec is selling its 17,628,911 remaining shares of Quebecor Media Inc. back to Quebecor Inc. for $1.69 billion, representing 18.47 per cent stake in the company. The media organization operates broadcasters, publications and an internet access provider among other assets in Quebec. The agreement marks the final chapter in Quebecor’s plan to gain […]
In spite of volatile public equity markets, the median solvency ratio for Ontario’s defined benefit pension plans was slightly higher at 95 per cent for the first quarter of 2018, compared to 94 per cent at the end of 2017, according to the Financial Services Commission of Ontario’s latest quarterly report. Equity markets were down in the first […]