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 […]
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, along with the Republic of Colombia and infrastructure financier Financiera de Desarrollo Nacional, is launching an infrastructure co-investment platform. “We are very pleased to invest in Colombia with the private capital fund created by the FDN and pension fund administrators,” said Michael Sabia, president and chief executive officer of the […]
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board is “embracing disruption” and looking to cash in on emerging shifts in the global economy, such as a move towards autonomous cars and a growing, aging population. The board benefits from a long-term investment and can look beyond any market cycle and invest based on large structural changes that will “fundamentally […]
The Investment Management Corp. of Ontario has appointed Nicole Musicco as its senior managing director of private markets, effective Jan. 7, 2019. Musicco will join IMCO from the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, where she was most recently the senior managing director of the plan’s public equities group. Since joining Ontario Teachers’ in 2002, Musicco’s previous roles include managing […]
While equity markets in North America experienced a difficult October, Japan’s equity markets may prove an attractive alternative given their relatively dampened valuations and companies’ historically high profit margins. “Part of the reason why we’ve started to move on our preference to upgrade Japanese equities has been that we are starting to see earnings on the […]
The Public Sector Pension Investment Board, alongside global real estate developer Tishman Speyer Properties, is selling Parisian office building Tour Pacific to Société Générale Insurance Group. After taking on the 53,000 square metre office building in 2013, the two investors renovated and refurbished it, adding 30 tenants. The building features a office spaces, a conference centre, fitness space and […]
For the first time since the Financial Services Commission of Ontario began monitoring defined benefit pension solvency in 2009, the province’s DB plans posted a median solvency ratio above 100 per cent in the third quarter of 2018. As of Sept. 30, the solvency ratio reached 101 per cent, up from 97 per cent the previous quarter. […]