The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and French utility company Engie are buying a combined 90 per cent stake in Brazilian oil and gas transportation network company Transportadora Associada de Gás S.A. for US$8.6 billion. The new arrangement, which gives Engie a 58.5 per cent stake in TAG and the Caisse the remaining 31.5 per cent, was the result […]
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec has led a series D financing totalling US$150 million for Mofang Apartments, an institutional rental company based in Shanghai, China. “As a long-term investor, [the Caisse] seeks to be a constructive shareholder, working together with the management and partners to build good companies,” said Meng Ann Lim, […]
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec is investing about US$250 million in ECL Finance Ltd., the non-banking arm of Edelweiss Financial Services. The investment is intended to enable ECL Finance to capitalize on opportunities in the credit market and bolster the group in capturing opportunities in the non-banking financial company space, according to a press […]
Ontario’s defined benefit pension plans had a median solvency ratio of 94 per cent at the end of 2018, according to the Financial Services Commission of Ontario’s latest report. The median ratio represents a decline from the previous quarter, which sat at 101 per cent as of Sept. 30, 2018. More than half (53.9 per cent) […]
Following years of steady, globally synchronized growth, volatility is back. In the final weeks of 2018, North American stock markets were especially hectic, posting losses in December to round out a relatively challenging year. Virtually every asset class, with the notable exception of commodities, has done well over the past decade, says Bert Clark, president […]
Canadian defined benefit pension plans finished 2018 in negative territory, according to two new reports. Pension plans in RBC Investor & Treasury Services’ universe posted an annual return of negative 0.7 per cent, reversing gains from the previous three quarters of the year, and substantially lower than 2017’s annual return of 9.7 per cent. Canadian equities and […]
In a world of volatility, with markets driven by trade wars, Trump tweets and talk of a potential recession on its way, Scotiabank vice-president and deputy chief economist is shining a light of optimism. “A slight slowing in growth is a very distinct thing from a recession,” said Brett House, speaking at the 2018 Defined […]
Looking ahead to the new year, 2019 is shaping up to be another challenging one for institutional investors looking for strategies to generate sufficient returns to meet their current and future obligations. Navigating the many variables — from rising interest rates and weakening global growth to threats of trade wars and the possible return of higher inflation — will […]
The Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System’s real estate arm is investing $3.3 billion to acquire a portfolio of 19 office buildings across Australia. Oxford Properties Group and Investa Property Group, the Australian company that currently owns the properties, will jointly manage the office portfolio. “Oxford invests for the long term in global gateway cities with a […]
Uncertainty on how U.S. and Chinese policies will affect trade, Italy’s budget standoff with the European Commission, worry over Brexit and the U.S. Federal Reserve’s monetary policy all imply volatility for the coming year, according to Russell Investment Canada Ltd.’s 2019 market outlook. The firm is remaining neutral on equities and underweight U.S. stock, though it’s maintaining a more […]