In the current market environment, there may be good reasons for investors to consider increasing their portfolio’s allocations to cash, according to a new report by Mercer. At the end of August 2019, cash yielded more than long bonds, says Dave Makarchuk, partner and Western Canada wealth business leader at Mercer, noting Canadian 91-day treasury […]
While defined benefit plans are traditionally known for their paternalism, defined contribution pensions represent the next generation. Learning from their parents’ years of investment experience, DC plans are catching up, but hurdles still exist in the quest to invest like DB plans. The liquidity question As more DC plan sponsors consider adding illiquid alternatives to […]
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 […]
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 […]
In this late-cycle environment, the Hydro Québec pension plan is cautious about credit and is maintaining its liquidity, according to Jean-François Pépin, senior director of financing, treasury and pension fund at Hydro Québec. At the end of 2017, the defined benefit plan had $24.7 billion in net assets. Invested in a variety of asset classes, including […]
In this late-cycle environment, the Hydro Québec pension plan is cautious about credit and is maintaining its liquidity, says Jean-François Pépin, senior director of financing, treasury and pension fund at Hydro Québec. At the end of 2017, the defined benefit plan had $24.7 billion in net assets. Invested in a variety of asset classes, including fixed […]
“Knowledge is knowing that tomatoes are fruit — wisdom is knowing that you shouldn’t put them in the fruit salad.” It’s a quote that is particularly apt in today’s, markets, according to Trevor Leydon, head of portfolio construction & risk, Aviva Investors. Indeed, in a market environment that has been shaped by central bank intervention […]
With many demands on employees’ money, could helping them build an emergency fund alongside their retirement savings make them more financially secure in the long run? Last week, Britain’s National Employment Savings Trust Insight began piloting its new sidecar savings program, which aims to optimize pension savings while helping workers maintain a reasonable amount of liquid savings […]
Increasing exposure to less liquid, alternative assets like infrastructure, real estate and private equity hasn’t created difficulty for Canadian pensions in repaying creditors, according to a report by Moody’s Corp. As pension portfolios have increased their allocations to alternatives, with these assets now making up close to 40 per cent of Canadian plan’s investments, concerns around liquidity […]
Why bigger isn't always better when it comes to choosing companies