The strong performance of domestic equites in the last months of 2021 helped Canadian defined benefit pension plans secure median annual returns of 8.9 per cent, according to a new report by RBC Investor and Treasury Services. During the year, Canadian DB plans performed best during the second and fourth quarters, with median asset growth […]
The median Canadian defined benefit pension plan generated returns of 3.8 per cent in the final quarter of 2021, according to a new report by Northern Trust Corp. The strong performance was driven by a rebound in equity markets during a quarter marred by escalating energy prices and uncertainty about central bank policies. Over the year, […]
The vast majority (88 per cent) of institutional investors have reduced their allocations to fixed income over the past 18 months, according to a survey by Aeon Investments Ltd. The survey, which was based on responses from institutional investors in Europe and the U.S. with a total of US$436.5 billion in assets under management, found more […]
Abrupt changes in climate policies from governments around the world could lead to fire sales of climate sensitive assets held by institutional investors, according to a the results of a pilot scenario analysis project from the Bank of Canada and the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions. “Climate transition risks are challenging to assess […]
The Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan is exchanging a property portfolio for a stake in a new real estate investment trust. Under the terms of the deal, eight properties — which a recent appraisal valued at $800 million — were given by the HOOPP to the Toronto-based Primaris Management Inc. In exchange, the HOOPP received […]
The largest defined benefit pension plans in the U.S. saw average funded status improve by eight per cent in 2021, according to a new report by Willis Towers Watson. It found the country’s largest DB pension plans saw their average funded statuses reach 96 per cent last year, higher than at any point since 2007. […]
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 […]
Investors should expect the unexpected in 2022, according to George Athanassakos, professor of finance and the Ben Graham chair in value investing at Western University’s Ivey School of Business. “2022 is likely to be filled with hidden hazards, both known unknowns and unknown unknowns,” he wrote in an email to the Canadian Investment Review. This […]
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 […]
Wall Street stocks are rising after three days of losses brought on by worries over the spread of the omicron variant and lingering concerns about rising inflation. On Tuesday, the S&P 500 index rose 1.5 per cent as of 1:10 p.m. Eastern. The Nasdaq rose 1.7 per cent. Both indexes were boosted by solid gains […]