economy volatility – Benefits Canada.com https://www.benefitscanada.com Canada's most influential pension and benefits publication for decision-makers Fri, 17 May 2024 19:40:42 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.8 2023 DC Investment Forum: How real assets in DC plans can give members a ‘much smoother ride’ https://www.benefitscanada.com/events/conference-coverage/2023-dc-investment-forum-a-closer-look-at-the-value-of-real-assets-in-dc-plans/ Mon, 06 Nov 2023 12:57:16 +0000 https://www.benefitscanada.com/?p=146056 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 […]

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]]> 2023 Risk Management Conference: How labour market pressures are affecting inflation rates https://www.benefitscanada.com/canadian-investment-review/post-event-coverage/2023-risk-management-conference-how-labour-market-pressures-are-affecting-inflation-rates/ Wed, 18 Oct 2023 11:56:15 +0000 https://www.benefitscanada.com/?p=144310 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 […]

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]]> 2023 Risk Management Conference: U.S. political landscape offering uncertain outlook for institutional investors https://www.benefitscanada.com/canadian-investment-review/post-event-coverage/2023-risk-management-conference-u-s-political-landscape-offering-uncertain-outlook-for-institutional-investors/ Wed, 18 Oct 2023 11:51:51 +0000 https://www.benefitscanada.com/?p=144314 The U.S. political roadmap ahead may present new challenges for institutional investors, according to Charles Myers, chairman of Signum Global Advisors, speaking during a session at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2023 Risk Management Conference. He expects the upcoming presidential election will be marked by three key issues: women’s reproductive rights, the economy and “the Trump of […]

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]]> 2023 GIC coverage: The good, the bad and the ugly sides of regime shifts https://www.benefitscanada.com/canadian-investment-review/post-event-coverage/2023-gic-coverage-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-sides-of-regime-shifts/ Tue, 06 Jun 2023 11:55:28 +0000 https://www.benefitscanada.com/?p=138922 “Let me start by pointing out the obvious: the last few years have been exhausting,” said Mina Krishnan, multi-asset portfolio manager at Schroders, during a session on regime shifts at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2023 Global Investment Conference. “We’ve had the [coronavirus] pandemic, the war in Ukraine, the energy crisis and Brexit.” As a result […]

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]]> Expert panel: History’s lessons for DB pension plans during turbulent times https://www.benefitscanada.com/expertpanel_/colin-ripsman/expert-panel-historys-lessons-for-db-pension-plans-during-turbulent-times/ Tue, 23 May 2023 16:30:22 +0000 https://www.benefitscanada.com/?p=138585 At the best of times, selecting an optimal asset mix for a defined benefit pension plan is challenging. The times of today are downright turbulent. Last year, inflation reached 8.1 per cent in Canada as a result of a prolonged period of government stimulus spending to manage the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. In response […]

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]]> Median solvency ratio of Canadian DB pensions rose to 116% in Q1 2023: report https://www.benefitscanada.com/canadian-investment-review/research-markets/median-solvency-ratio-of-canadian-db-pensions-rose-to-116-in-q1-2023-report/ Tue, 04 Apr 2023 13:00:10 +0000 https://www.benefitscanada.com/?p=135968 The median solvency ratio of Canadian defined benefit pension plans rose during the first quarter of 2023, from 113 per cent at the beginning of the year to 116 per cent at the end of March, according to Mercer’s latest pension health pulse. The measure, which tracks the median solvency ratio of the DB plans […]

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]]> Ontario Teachers’ venture capital arm expects lower private equity valuations in 2023: report https://www.benefitscanada.com/canadian-investment-review/alts/ontario-teachers-venture-capital-arm-expects-lower-private-equity-valuations-in-2023-report/ Tue, 07 Mar 2023 17:45:06 +0000 https://www.benefitscanada.com/?p=135001 The venture capital arm of the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan anticipates that a slowing global economy, interest rate hikes and limited funding opportunities will drive private equity valuations down by as much as 10 per cent in 2023, according to a new report. “So far, 2023 looks set to be another challenging year: the global […]

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]]> Expert panel: Defining risk depends on investing horizon https://www.benefitscanada.com/expertpanel_/george-athanassakos/expert-panel-defining-risk-depends-on-investing-horizon/ Tue, 07 Mar 2023 15:15:37 +0000 https://www.benefitscanada.com/?p=134896 What’s the right definition of risk in financial markets? Finding the answer to this question has become even more important because the number of retail traders is at a record high. Over the past 10 years, between 10 per cent and 15 per cent of all U.S. trades have come from retail accounts. So far […]

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]]> Caisse reporting -5.6% return for 2022, expects 2023 to be a ‘year of transition’ https://www.benefitscanada.com/news/cir-news-news/caisse-reporting-negative-5-6-return-for-2022-expects-2023-to-be-a-year-of-transition/ Thu, 23 Feb 2023 17:00:29 +0000 https://www.benefitscanada.com/?p=134463 The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec generated average returns of negative 5.6 per cent in 2022. “The year 2022 provided an environment filled with several challenges, with spiking inflation, historic interest rate hikes by central banks and rising geopolitical tensions,” said Charles Emond, the Caisse’s president and chief executive officer, during a press briefing […]

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]]> Ontario DB pension plans return average 2.9% in Q4 2022: report https://www.benefitscanada.com/canadian-investment-review/db-investments/ontario-db-pension-plans-return-average-2-9-in-q4-2022-report/ Thu, 16 Feb 2023 20:00:49 +0000 https://www.benefitscanada.com/?p=133989 Ontario’s defined benefit pension funds returned an average 2.9 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2022 while plan liabilities continued to benefit from a rising interest rate environment, according to the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario’s latest solvency report. It also found the majority of plans remained fully funded on a solvency basis […]

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