The median solvency ratio of Canadian defined benefit pension plans increased two per cent in the first quarter of 2024, according to a report by Mercer. The report, which tracks more than 450 DB pension plans, found the median solvency ratio grew to 118 per cent, as at March 29, 2024, from 116 per cent […]
A renewed call for increased domestic investments by Canadian pension plans isn’t surprising amid an ongoing discussion around the role of investment organizations in supporting the economy, says Malcolm Hamilton, a senior fellow at the C.D. Howe Institute. “I think it’s very natural for Canadian businesses . . . [that] focus on the Canadian economy, not […]
The funded position of a typical defined benefit pension plan rose both on a solvency basis (2.8 per cent) and an accounting basis (2.3 per cent) during February, according to Telus Health’s latest pension index. It found the solvency of the average DB plan rose to 103.6 per cent in February, up from 100.8 per […]
The New York State Common Retirement Fund is restricting its exposure in eight integrated oil and gas companies, including divesting a portion of its investment in Exxon Mobil Corp. In a press release, New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said the decision was fueled by a review of the oil companies — Guanghui Energy Company, […]
The California Public Employees’ Retirement System is increasing its investments in private market assets to maximize returns from its highest-performing asset classes. The pension fund said it’s increasing its private market allocations from 33 per cent to 40 per cent, according to a press release, which noted CalPERS is increasing private equity allocations from 13 […]
The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan is reporting a net return of 1.9 per cent for 2023, according to its latest annual report. The investment organization underperformed its benchmark return of 8.7 per cent, a 6.8 per cent difference or $15.8 billion in negative value add. In 2022, the plan beat the benchmark by 1.8 per […]
Ford of Canada’s recent transfer of $923 million in pension liabilities to Desjardins Group, RBC Insurance and Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada augurs well for what has been a rapidly expanding group annuity buyout and buy-in market. “As of 2013, the group annuity market amounted to about $1 billion annually,” says Charbel Assal, senior […]
The total value traded in Canada’s equities marketplace reached $4.2 trillion as at Dec. 31, 2023, a 10 per cent decline from the previous 12-month period, according to a new report by the Canadian Securities Administrators. It found Canada’s equities marketplace faced a challenging market environment in 2023 caused by higher interest rates and tighter […]
Global pension assets increased by 11 per cent to reach US$55.7 trillion in 2023, up from $50.2 trillion at the end of 2022, according to a new report by WTW’s Thinking Ahead Institute. This growth was attributed to stronger capital market performance following a much more negative impact from markets in the correction of 2022, […]
The Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan is reporting an annual return of 9.38 per cent for 2023, partly due to the performance of equities and fixed income, says Michael Wissell, chief investment officer at the HOOPP. The investment organization finished the year with $112.6 billion in net assets, compared to $103.7 billion and a return of […]