Canada’s defined benefit pension plans’ funded positions continue to improve in 2021, ending the first quarter at their highest levels in more than 20 years, according to Mercer Canada’s pension health index. It found solvency ratios increased from 114 per cent at the end of 2020 to 124 per cent at the end of March 2021, with the median solvency ratio […]
The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan is reporting a total-fund net return of 8.6 per cent for 2020, a year which has generated mixed financial results for Canada’s major pensions due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The pension plan earned $18 billion in investment income in 2020 and its net assets reached $221.2 billion as at Dec. 31, 2020, […]
Coronavirus vaccinations and the US$1.9-trillion fiscal stimulus package are paving the way for the U.S. economy to recover as the world enters the second year of the coronavirus pandemic, in turn driving investor demand for equities and risk assets, according to a recent webinar hosted by Natixis Investment Managers. Esty Dwek, global market strategist at […]
Canadian pension funds are seeing significant cost savings from in-house asset management but are still relying on external managers, according to a new survey from CIBC Mellon. It found among funds that have taken asset management in-house, 66 per cent said they achieved savings. Of those, 91 per cent reported more than 10 per cent […]
The market value of assets held by Canadian employer pension plans increased to $2.12 trillion in the third quarter of 2020, according to a new report by Statistics Canada. It found while private sector assets saw a year-over-year increase of 4.6 per cent to $654.3 billion, public sector assets nearly reached $1.47 trillion. Stocks posted the largest increase at […]
Canada’s pension funds are shifting asset management functions in-house while becoming more strategic about oversight of external managers, according to a new survey from CIBC Mellon. It found pension funds are increasing the portion of assets and investment activities managed in-house to 28 per cent from 22 per cent, with the majority of pension funds […]
Despite market uncertainty due to the coronavirus pandemic and a turbulent U.S. presidential election cycle, Canadian defined benefit pension plans ended the year with near double-digit gains, according to a report by the RBC’s Investor & Treasury Services. Amid the once-in-a-century crisis, market returns in 2020 for retirement assets were 9.2 per cent, noted the […]
Following an unprecedented 2020, Canada’s plan sponsors and pension plans are incorporating the lessons of the last year as they prepare for a new decade, according to a recent webinar hosted by Mercer Canada. The coming years will be marked by developments including increased geopolitical tensions and the lingering economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic, […]
Canada’s defined benefit pension plans posted a median return of five per cent during the fourth quarter of 2020 and closed a volatile year with a 10 per cent gain, according to Northern Trust Canada’s pension universe. Despite uncertainty from factors including the U.S. presidential election and Brexit negotiations, the last quarter saw global equity […]
With President-elect Joe Biden officially becoming the 46th U.S. president today, institutional investors are preparing for a return to traditional governance and increased market stability. While markets don’t often respond favourably to a change in administration, the return to “normality and transparency” in Biden’s policy and governing style will act as a counterbalance, says Matthew […]