According to a CIBC poll, there are two financial concerns weighing on the minds of Canadians: paying down personal debt and saving for retirement. Managing their day-to-day spending was a close third in the poll. When it comes to age, there was a significant difference in priorities, with those ages 45 to 64 focusing on […]
As the clock keeps on ticking, Canadian baby boomers are beginning to fret more and more. According to a poll conducted by TD Waterhouse, 67% of boomers say they are worried they won’t have enough money to retire and only a scant 15% feel they are fully prepared to do so. When comparing those who […]
Jim Hall was the big winner at the 2010 Canadian Investment Awards in downtown Toronto last night. Hall, the chairman and director of research for Mawer Investment Management Ltd. in Calgary, took home the award for Morningstar Equity Fund Manager of the Year. “Jim Hall’s track record, not only over the past year but over […]
Pension plans could become an election issue for the federal Liberal party. A proposal obtained by the New Democratic Party and presented to the Liberal caucus suggests a voluntary supplemental pension plan and reduction in the limit of one year retroactive payments for late claimants of Canada Pension Plan (CPP) benefits could be in […]
Large retirement plan sponsors in the United States say participation in defined contribution (DC) plans should be mandatory. According to The Path Forward: Designing the Ideal Defined Contribution Plan study released by Northern Trust and Greenwich Associates, there should also be automatic increases in contributions each year until workers are setting aside more than […]
The Fraser Institute is blaming government health and drug insurance programs for the skyrocketing cost of government healthcare spending and not prescription drugs. According to its study—The Misguided War Against Medicines 2010 rising costs should be blamed on the costs of physicians, hospitals and drugs. If you look past drug costs, all remaining areas of […]
Due to the recent economic downturn and the slow as molasses recovery, 40% of U.S. workers are putting off retirement, this according to a survey by Towers Watson. The majority of respondents also stated they are willing to pay more now for retirement, health benefits even if it means they cannot spend as much when […]
With the merger concluded, Aon Corporation and Hewitt Associates, Inc. are now: Aon Hewitt. Aiming to be the global leader in human capital solutions, the two companies combined revenues for fiscal year 2009 consist of 49% from consulting services, 40% from benefits administration and 11% from HR business process outsourcing. The company predicts the cost […]
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan is unloading GCAN Insurance, a commercial property and casualty insurer, by selling it to RSA Canada. Teachers’ is asking for $420 million and closing of the deal is expected in January, subject to customary approvals. “The company is now positioned to move to the next level with the support of a […]
Sanofi-Aventis SA isn’t taking ‘No’ for an answer. After having its $69-a-share bid for Genzyme Corp. termed as too low, France’s largest drug maker has launched a $18.5 billion hostile takeover offer. If ratified, the deal would be the largest hostile takeover offer in the drug industry since the transaction creating Sanofi-Aventis in 2004. Sanofi-Synthelabo […]