Canadian annuity prices have an asymmetrical response to changing interest rates, making it more expensive to de-risk defined benefit pension plans shortly after rates rise, according to new research. “In Canada, annuity providers are prompt when it comes to raising prices when interest rates go down and slower when interest rates go up,” says Mark […]
While U.S. workers believe they’ll need roughly $1.27 million in savings to retire comfortably, employees have, on average, just $89,300 in retirement savings, according to a new survey by Northwestern Mutual. The survey, which polled more than 2,700 employees, found 52 per cent said they expect to be financially prepared for retirement when the time […]
Institutional investors expect market volatility, high inflation and rising interest rates to spur portfolio de-risking policies over the next two years, according to a new survey by Aeon Investments. The survey, which polled pension plan sponsors, insurers and asset managers with about US$545 in combined assets under management, found 81 per cent said they expect […]
Three-quarters (75 per cent) of Canadian adults aged 55 to 64 have $100,000 or less in savings and 44 per cent have less than $5,000, according to a new survey by the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan. The survey, which polled 2,000 Canadian employees, found 44 per cent haven’t set aside any money for retirement […]
In three short years, the relationship between Canadian employers and employees has changed dramatically as a result of the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on health, finances and overall sense of security. While there’s a lot of talk about the world settling into a new normal in 2023, it’s not clear what that will look like. The […]
If Irish economist David McWilliams is to be believed, overconfident fools are tampering with the global economy. “If I were an American, Canadian or — God forbid — a British economist, . . . I’d come here today armed with graphs and charts and all that malarkey,” he said during the keynote session at the […]
The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board is bracing for headwinds in the event of a recession, but says a wide range of investments makes it well-positioned for uncertain economic conditions. The CPPIB reported Wednesday it earned a net return of 1.3 per cent in its latest fiscal year as inflation and rising interest rates weighed on both […]
U.S. defined benefit pension plans posted net returns of 4.47 per cent in the first quarter of 2023, according to a report from Investment Metrics plan universe. The performance was led by allocations to public equities, which generated 6.47 per cent during the quarter. Fixed income allocations also performed well, rising 2.93 per cent. Alternative […]
At the best of times, selecting an optimal asset mix for a defined benefit pension plan is challenging. The times of today are downright turbulent. Last year, inflation reached 8.1 per cent in Canada as a result of a prolonged period of government stimulus spending to manage the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. In response […]
Large and small, pension plan sponsors are adopting in-house tools, partnering with technology research institutes or relying on investment managers for technological support with asset allocation, risk management and other aspects of investment management. The growing interest coincides with an increasingly complex investment, demographic and regulatory landscape. A 2020 Deloitte report on the importance of […]