Sustainable indexes largely outperformed during the first quarter of 2020 amid market turmoil caused by the coronavirus pandemic, according to BlackRock Inc.’s latest sustainability report. “While this short time period is not determinative, it aligns with the resilience we have seen in sustainable strategies during prior downturns,” said the report. The big question for institutional […]
Even before the coronavirus began affecting capital markets, fixed income investors were becoming more risk averse, according to Invesco’s latest survey. Close to half (43 per cent) of investors surveyed in late 2019 said they felt the then economic cycle had a year or less left to run and were adapting their portfolios accordingly. In some cases, this change […]
The Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology pension plan has added two more employers to its DBplus offering. Skills Canada Ontario and Fraser Group are the latest organizations to join the pension, bringing the number of employers in the plan to 33 since its launch 18 months ago. Employers joining DBplus can select a fixed contribution […]
As earnings season ramps up, broad market consensus is seeking the middle way, suggesting the likelihood of a U-shaped recovery, as opposed to a roaring revamp or a genuine depression. “I think what the market consensus is expecting is reasonable,” says David Souccar, portfolio manager for international equities at Vontobel Asset Management’s quality growth boutique. […]
In normal circumstances, pension plan members don’t respond well to being inundated with information about their plans. Typically, a deluge of content can turn off plan members, says Jillian Kennedy, leader of defined contribution and financial wellness at Mercer Canada. But today’s circumstances are far from ordinary. “Right now, you can’t over communicate.” In 2008, the financial […]
In the midst of an unusual or unsettling situation, such as the coronavirus pandemic, pension plan sponsors should remember that both defined benefit and capital accumulation plan arrangements are intended to be managed for the long term. The negative impact of the coronavirus on global economies and on businesses is a concern, particularly with respect to […]
The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan posted a net return of 10.4 per cent for 2019, bringing net assets to $207.4 billion. Its $20.2 billion in investment income represents an organizational best, said Jo Taylor, the pension fund’s president and chief executive officer, on a conference call Tuesday morning, outperforming the 2018 return of 2.5 per cent after a volatile year in […]
In the current market environment, liquidity is top of mind for pension plans, says Jason Campbell, principal at Eckler Ltd. For example, despite a company’s potential work stoppages, it’s still responsible for benefit payments, as well as paying capital calls on investments as they come due. Some firms in the private markets space are trying […]
To stay on the cutting edge of environmental, social and governance integration, institutional investors have to expand their focus beyond the factors that are material to a company’s operations today and look ahead at what’s around the corner. According to a report by the World Economic Forum, this is becoming an integral part of investors’ analysis. “To […]
With the federal government easing the withdrawal requirements for registered retirement income funds in a bid to alleviate the harm to retirees’ portfolios caused by the coronavirus-spurred market crash, the industry is suggesting similar measures for other retirement arrangements. “Canadians who are about to turn money into income will be faced with the decision of […]