In a challenging 2018 market environment, the Ontario Pension Board finished the year with an annual investment return of 1.8 per cent, down from 10.8 per cent in 2017. “This return reflected the challenging investment environment in 2018, including slowing global growth, rising central bank rates that tightened liquidity and uncertain geopolitical events such as […]
The U.S. customized target-date fund market grew to US$430 billion at the end of 2017, according to the Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association. The DCIIA’s inaugural survey on the market, which included data from 65 plans with a total of 673 different funds, found the majority of these funds are allocated to a mix of equities and fixed income. […]
Canadian institutional investors are taking on more private credit, both as a replacement for equity, as well as a tool to enhance their fixed income allocations, said Janet Rabovsky, partner at Ellement Consulting Group in a webinar presented by the Canadian Investment Review on Tuesday. For pension plans in particular, the equity-like return that private […]
Canadian institutional investors are taking on more private credit, both as a replacement for equity, as well as a tool to enhance their fixed-income allocations, said Janet Rabovsky, partner at Ellement Consulting Group in a webinar presented by the Canadian Investment Review. For pension plans in particular, the equity-like return private credit can yield, accompanied […]
The Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System’s infrastructure arm is taking on a 22 per cent stake in IndInfravit Trust, an Indian-based infrastructure conglomerate, for $160 million. IndInfravit, which owns and operates toll-road concessions, already counts the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Allianz Capital Partners as investors. “IndInfravit is a well-managed, world-class core infrastructure asset,” said Bruce Crane, managing […]
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec ended 2018 with a return of 4.2 per cent, beating its benchmark portfolio, which returned 2.4 per cent, and bringing the portfolio to a net asset total of $309.5 billion. “In 2018, our investment strategy was put to the test. For the first time in several years, global stock […]
In a market environment where finding returns is tough, the Employees Retirement System of Texas turned to emerging markets and alternatives to provide the pension promise, said Sharmila Kassam, deputy chief investment officer at the Employees Retirement System of Texas. The Employees Retirement System of Texas is a state pension plan that serves more than […]
As alternative investments become ubiquitous among institutional portfolios, harnessing the right strategies will make all the difference in an environment where returns are proving harder to find, said John Gray, partner at Adams Street Partners. “In a world where everybody needs return . . . people are ramping up their allocations to private equity,” he […]
Guggenheim Investments and the World Wildlife Fund have commissioned a study to review sustainability standards for multi-stakeholder infrastructure programs, noting the need for further clarity as sustainable infrastructure transitions into an institutional asset class. “It’s clear that public funds alone are not enough to address the world’s critical infrastructure needs,” said Scott Minerd, chairman of Guggenheim […]
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank has been busy, launching a US$500 million credit portfolio comprised of infrastructure-related corporate bonds, quasi-sovereign bonds and green bonds. The Beijing-based multilateral investment bank noted the venture is part of its main goal to develop infrastructure as an asset class in Asian markets. By creating the portfolio, it’s seeking to […]