The move towards a core-plus mindset, first-time major allocations to stand-alone credit strategies and a focus on less liquid assets are the top trends in credit among institutional investors, according to Andrzej Skiba, managing director and head of U.S. fixed income on the BlueBay fixed income team at RBC Global Asset Management (U.S.) Inc., speaking during […]
Increasing periods of heightened volatility are demanding composure and trust from investment professionals for their long-term roadmap, according to Josée Mondoux (pictured middle), chief investment officer at the Canadian Medical Protective Association, during a panel session at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2025 Global Investment Conference. Investment professionals are being tested and could be asked to […]
The Saskatchewan Pension Plan is reassuring plan members its asset mix is designed to withstand shifts stemming from global disruptions and economic uncertainty. In a new note to members, the $829-million pension fund said recent developments are creating significant economic uncertainty, with potential for higher inflation, slower growth and greater market volatility. Read: Institutional investors […]
With a second Donald Trump presidency unleashing global uncertainty, emerging markets nations are forging new alliances and building a foundation for sustainable long-term growth. Indeed, despite the alarming headlines, the view from institutional investors is one of optimism with a healthy side of skepticism. A report by RBC Global Asset Management Inc. found emerging markets […]
The average Canadian defined benefit pension plan returned 1.6 per cent during the fourth quarter of 2024, a decrease from 5.1 per cent in the previous quarter, according to a new report by RBC Investor Services. It found Canadian DB plans closed the year with the strongest yearly median return in five years at 11.3 […]
As a financial institution that provides banking and wealth management services to customers, Meridian Credit Union ensures it also offers employees a comprehensive suite of services to support their financial wellness. This includes a defined contribution pension in which staff contribute a mandatory three per cent of annual earnings, with the employer contributing between three […]
While an arduous U.S. presidential election cycle may have created some market volatility, any uncertainties among Canadian institutional investors may begin to wane following Donald Trump’s election as the 47th U.S. president on Wednesday, says Ian Riach, senior vice-president and portfolio manager at Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions. “Economics tend to trump politics . . . . […]
Central banks are achieving a successful soft landing strategy after concerning periods of high inflation following the coronavirus pandemic, said Douglas Porter, chief economist and managing director at BMO Financial Group, during the keynote session at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2024 Endowment & Foundation Investment Forum in June. Inflation is receding from dangerous highs to […]
In volatile market environments, adding real assets to defined contribution pension plan portfolios has the ability to provide diversification benefits and give members a “much smoother ride” to retirement, according to Andrew Knox, managing director of the Franklin global real asset fund at Franklin Templeton Investments. Speaking during Benefits Canada’s 2023 DC Investment Forum in […]
A tight labour market will have to loosen up in order to help reduce inflation rates, said Ilan Kolet, institutional portfolio manager at Fidelity Investments, during the Canadian Investment Review’s 2023 Risk Management Conference. In 2022, inflation severely impacted the dynamic between stocks and bonds leading to a painful year, he said. “[Inflation] increases the correlation between […]