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First African infrastructure performance index to launch in Q1 2019

In the first quarter of 2019, RisCura will be launching what it calls Africa’s first infrastructure performance index in partnership with Africa Investor Capital. The infrastructure index will be pan-African, including North Africa, and will cover various sectors including power, transport, renewable energy and social infrastructure, says Hubert Danso, chief executive officer and chairman at Africa […]

  • January 8, 2019 September 13, 2019
  • 10:55

Is index investing truly passive?

In a recent working paper, University of Toronto assistant professor Adriana Robertson takes a deep dive into the world of index investing and argues that it’s not passive in reality, but rather a form of delegated management. In the paper, Robertson examined hundreds of indices and found that none of them were truly passive. “I […]

  • January 7, 2019 January 12, 2021
  • 10:45

CPPIB to invest additional CPP contributions

Starting this week, the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board will receive additional Canada Pension Plan contributions to invest as part of a new CPP enhancement. Employer and employee contributions to the CPP will both increase by one per cent to 5.95 per cent by 2023. The increased contributions are being phased-in, starting with an increase […]

  • January 3, 2019 January 12, 2021
  • 08:28

Trends and changes for pension plan sponsors heading into 2019

The start of a new year is a time to prepare for changes in the year ahead. For pension plan sponsors, there are some key items to keep top of mind in 2019. CPP/QPP enhancement On Jan. 1, 2019, the Canada Pension Plan and Quebec Pension Plan enhancements will begin with the goal of eventually […]

  • December 28, 2018 January 12, 2021
  • 08:41

Investment themes to watch in 2019

With the new year almost here, there are some interdependent themes investors should watch, such as central banks tightening policy, trade tensions and an increased focus on sustainability according to Mercer’s most recent paper on themes and opportunities for 2019. Chance of ‘white water’ turbulence There is evidence that credit is overextended, the paper said, […]

  • December 21, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 14:27

2019 Market outlook: Emerging market debt and equities show promise

Heading into the new year, Mercer is cautiously optimistic about emerging market equity and debt and expects emerging market assets to outperform over the medium term, according to its economic outlook for 2019 and beyond. Equities 2018 was a year of exceptionalism for U.S. equities, however this was particularly for the first three quarters as […]

  • December 21, 2018 January 12, 2021
  • 14:07

China, interest rates top issues for equity investors in 2019

For pension plan sponsors interested in equities, the top two issues on the radar for 2019 are China-U.S. trade tensions and interest rate movements, says Scott Berg, vice-president and portfolio manager at T. Rowe Price Group Inc. China On China, it’s likely presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping will reach a trade accommodation, he says. […]

  • December 20, 2018 January 12, 2021
  • 08:08

Trusteed pension funds’ real estate investments increased in Q2: Stats Can

The market value of assets held by Canadian trusteed pension funds grew 0.6 per cent between the first and second quarters of 2018, according to data from Statistics Canada. Investments in real estate saw the largest increase in the second quarter, up 2.5 per cent to $186.7 billion, and investments in mortgages saw the largest decline, down 13.9 per […]

  • December 19, 2018 January 12, 2021
  • 15:00

Navigating the complicated relationship between interest rates, real estate

The complicated relationship between real estate and interest rates makes it important to know the role different types of properties play in a portfolio and to use public real estate for liquidity to keep a focus on core property, said Derek Warren, vice-president at Lincluden Investment Management, during a session at the 2018 Defined Benefit […]

  • December 17, 2018 January 20, 2021
  • 10:31

Using an ‘active investing triad’ for outperforming pension returns

While active managers outperform in some situations and not in others, when using active management, what characteristics can pension plans look for to stay on the outperforming side of the equation? Using an “active investing triad” — be patient, be different and be aligned — can help find managers that outperform, said Douglas Schein, managing […]

  • December 17, 2018 January 20, 2021
  • 10:28