As the likelihood of a new Italian coalition government continues to solidify, institutional investors are watching the country’s extremely volatile bond markets. The hard-left Five Star Movement and centre-left Democratic Party have joined forces to avoid snap elections, which would have strongly reinforced the power of Matteo Salvini, the leader of Italy’s far-right League party, says Stephane Dutu, director […]
When interest rates are low, how does this influence U.S. public pension plans’ propensity to take risk? In a working paper looking at the period between 2002 and 2016, the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston found, on average, pension funds take more risk when both risk-free rates and funding ratios are lower. Specifically, the paper’s […]
While some pension fund managers swear by hedge funds, others would never sink in a single cent. After the 2008 financial crisis turned some investors sour, is it time to give hedge funds a second chance? Colin Spinney, treasurer at Dalhousie University: The Dalhousie pension plan once had a stand-alone allocation to hedge funds, or […]
While many glide paths are based on age, is there a case for adjusting these based on account balance fluctuations or on a plan member’s risk aversion? When it comes to optimal outcomes for members, considering risk aversion may be the most important factor, according to a new paper out of the Australian National University […]
The Canadian Securities Administrators is releasing guidance for public companies on reporting the material risks that climate change poses to their businesses. The guidance aims to help public companies meet regulatory requirements and “inform investors about the sustainability of their business model and to provide insights into how they are mitigating and adapting to these risks,” the […]
Two organizations representing Canadian pensioners are asking the British Columbia government to reject the recommendations of a recent report by the Ministry of Finance that suggests lowering required pension solvency funding from 100 per cent to 85 per cent. “We actually disagreed with the very objective of the report,” says Marissa Lennox, spokesperson for CARP, formerly the […]
What effect do low interest rates really have on how pension funds invest and what are the long-term consequences? When plan sponsors are underfunded, they have a few set options, according to a new paper by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. For a state-sponsored plan, the choice of whether to take on assets with higher […]
Morneau Shepell Ltd. has appointed Mazen Shakeel as vice-president and practice leader for asset and risk management, effective July 2019. In the new role, he’ll assist plan sponsors with investment, outsourced chief investment officer, risk management and transfer-related needs. As an actuary with nearly 30 years of experience, Shakeel’s previous roles span the actuarial consulting […]
Historically pension funds and other investors have tended to select investment managers based on their recent investment performance. This can lead to a pension fund consistently firing yesterday’s losers and hiring yesterday’s winners. By chasing past performance these investors are effectively buying portfolios at high asset values and selling portfolios at low asset values, a […]
With the legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada and a patchwork of regulations governing its use in various states in the U.S., the sector’s influence is growing, according to new research by MSCI Inc. In total, 50 countries now allow some form of medical cannabis use, while six countries have legalized it recreationally. In terms of public […]