Defined contribution pension plan members are currently in a different place, especially the younger generations, who are likely feeling as though their financial priorities don’t line up with workplace pensions the way they did for previous generations. “What I’m getting at here is the idea that retirement saving isn’t the undeniable consensus top priority it […]
While fixed income has long had the reputation of being the conservative and stable supporting partner in the traditional balanced portfolio, unbundling fixed income into its sub-components presents opportunities for enhanced risk-adjusted returns, said Aaron Young, vice-president and client portfolio manager at CIBC Asset Management. When investors buy the FTSE universe bond index or even […]
The value of the total assets under management for the world’s 500 largest asset managers reached US$113.7 trillion as of Dec. 31, 2022, down 13.7 per cent from the previous year, according to a new report by WTW’s Thinking Ahead Institute. In a press release, Jessica Gao, director of the Thinking Ahead Institute, said asset […]
The average Canadian defined benefit pension plan returned negative four per cent in the third quarter of 2023, according to two new reports. The RBC Investor and Treasury Services’ universe, which tracks performance and asset allocation across Canadian DB plans, found the most recent quarterly losses mean the average return has decreased to 1.9 per cent […]
The Bank of Canada held its key interest rate steady at five per cent, but hasn’t ruled out future rate hikes as price pressures remain high. “With clearer signs that monetary policy is moderating spending and relieving price pressures, governing council decided to hold the policy rate at five per cent,” said the Bank of […]
Climate and cybersecurity are the leading risk factors concerning Canadian pension plan administrators, according to a pension lawyer. Susan G. Seller, a pension and benefits lawyer at Bennett Jones LLP, adds third-party arrangements and commercial real estate risks round out the most pressing categories for federally regulated pension plans. “We’re living in a time where […]
Canada’s retirement system ranks No. 12 out of 47 countries but has room for improvement amid a challenging economy and ageing population, according to a new report by Mercer and the CFA Institute. The report analyzed retirement systems based on adequacy, sustainability and integrity. It ranked the Netherlands with the highest score (85.1 out of 100), […]
Canadians could see a regime change in the next federal election if the current housing crisis holds tight, according to Chantal Hébert, political commentator, journalist, columnist and author, during the keynote session at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2023 Risk Management Conference. While health care and inflation are major concerns for Canadians, the one issue that keeps coming to the forefront […]
Institutional investors’ strategic approach to interest rates must evolve to properly reflect the risks and opportunities in today’s markets, according to Michael Cook, vice-president of client relations and liability-driven investment client portfolio manager at CIBC Asset Management, during a session at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2023 Risk Management Conference. The previous low in interest rates was […]
The underlying conservatism of public real estate investment markets can provide an inflation-proof cushion for institutional investors in uncertain times, said Corrado Russo, managing partner and head of global securities at Hazelview Investments, during the Canadian Investment Review’s 2023 Risk Management Conference. Indeed, with debt levels of only 32 per cent, public markets are more conservatively […]