The governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands is refinancing more than US$800 million worth of bonds following numerous attempts to save a public pension system that officials say faces collapse. Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. signed the bill on Wednesday and says the savings from improved interest rates will help stabilize the pension system for at least 30 years. […]
Nearly half (47 per cent) of Canadians said that financial wellness means living without financial stress, according to a new survey by the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. It found 28 per cent of respondents also used financial wellness as a top descriptor for overall wellness and 41 per cent said financial wellness comes from being […]
Last year was a tumultuous one, with economies ravaged by successive waves of coronavirus pandemic-related stresses and closures. Despite the negative impact these forces had on the economy, the stock market continued to rebound from the March 2020 correction and performed well. And in the face of higher volatility, U.S. stock exchanges were the highest […]
With Benefits Canada‘s companion publication the Canadian Investment Review integrating into BenefitsCanada.com in early 2021, many of the top investment stories of the year include CIR content, alongside stories from the print magazine and other investment trend stories. 2021 Top 100 Pension Funds Report: DB plans shining bright amid pandemic clouds Expert panel: When the […]
As has been the case for the past couple of years, we’re ending 2021 with as many questions as answers. On the surface, economic conditions seem to be improving, at least in Canada. National unemployment dropped to six per cent in November, the economy began to grow again after some coronavirus pandemic restrictions eased and […]
Almost three-quarters (73 per cent) of global institutional investors expect interest rates to rise in 2022, according to a new outlook survey by Natixis Investment Managers. Concern about rising interest rates were also reflected in responses to questions about investment decision-making, with 71 per cent of respondents saying they believe the stock market’s current rate […]
As inflation hits a record high in Canada, employers are helping workers weather the storm through various benefits and compensation offerings, according to several experts. In October, the Canadian inflation rate increased year over year by a record 4.7 per cent, the largest increase since February 2003, according to Statistics Canada. The Bank of Canada […]
As much as institutional investors fear stock market bubbles, they have an important role to play. The flooding of capital into new technologies and innovations leading up to a bubble’s bursting fuels innovation — an area that most corporations do not invest enough in, said Randall Morck, a finance professor at the University of Alberta, […]
The end of Canada’s quantitative easing strategy and higher than expected interest rates will be beneficial to Canadian defined benefit pension plans, according to Sebastien Betermier, an associate professor of finance at McGill University’s Desautels Faculty of Management. On Wednesday, Tiff Macklem, governor of the Bank of Canada, announced plans to end its quantitative easing policy and […]
After being off of Canadians’ radar screens for years, the re-emergence of inflation in recent months is receiving significant attention for many, including pension plan professionals. Some believe the inflationary increases will be transitory because recent price increases are primarily due to short-term disruptions in the Canadian economy caused by the emergence from restrictions due […]