Despite a rebound in stock markets in October, the solvency financial positions of most Canadian pension plans failed to improve in the fourth quarter due to a drop in federal bond yields, according to a Mercer report.
Economic volatility is causing many U.S. plan sponsors to worry about the sustainability of their plans, reports Mercer.
Early responses from a Mercer survey suggest the average growth in U.S. health benefits costs will slow to 5.4% in 2012, the smallest increase since 1997. However, cost growth remains well above both general inflation and growth in workers’ earnings. While this increase reflects cost-cutting changes employers plan to make to their benefits programs, such as […]
Employees hoping for large across-the-board raises in 2012 will be disappointed, as Canadian employers are projecting an average wage increase of 3.1%, according to the Mercer Compensation Planning Survey. Base pay is considered the most important element of total compensation for most employees, according to a previous Mercer survey, but only 53% said they were […]
Mercer Investment Consulting, Inc. is set to acquire investment consulting firm Evaluation Associates LLC. This will be Mercer’s second acquisition of an investment consulting firm in 2011, having completed its acquisition of Hammond Associates, effective Jan. 3, 2011. The acquisition is expected to close on, or near the end of, the second quarter of 2011. […]
Mercer has announced an expansion in its global responsible investment consulting business, naming Richard Fuller and Ryan Pollice to the team. Fuller will be based in Melbourne, Australia, overseeing the firm’s client relationships in Sydney and Melbourne and intellectual capital development across the Asia Pacific region. He joins Mercer from HESTA Super Fund, where he […]
As the attention of both Canadian governments and citizens is increasingly focused toward ensuring adequate income is saved for retirement, Mercer has proposed 10 resolutions for plan sponsors to help them evaluate their plans’ ability to deliver value to its members. Mercer suggests plan sponsors consider these DC resolutions as they head into 2011. 1. […]
2010 was a good year for the Canadian economy. “Canada was one of the first G7 nations to climb out of the recession,” said Mark Fieldhouse, principal, investment consulting practice, with Mercer, speaking today at Mercer’s 2011 Fearless Forecast at The Toronto Board of Trade. And 2011 will look a lot like 2010, he explained. […]
Global consulting and investment services giant Mercer has announced it has struck a deal to acquire Hammond Associates, an American institutional fund consultant. Mercer has said it plans to build upon Hammond’s position as the third largest investment consulting firm serving endowments and foundations in the U.S. “Hammond is one of the three leading investment […]
Global consulting firm Mercer has announced changes in its senior management, naming Andrew Kirton to the role of global chief investment officer. Prior to the promotion, Kirton had been the global head of investment consulting. David Goldenberg, formerly general council, has been named global head of solutions management. A new general council will be named […]