Recent market volatility has dealt a severe blow to U.S. pension plans sponsored by S&P 1500 companies, this according to the latest figures by Mercer. Aggregate funded status decreased by US$191 billion to a funding deficit of US$496 billion and an aggregate funded ratio of 73% as of the market close on August 8. The […]
Northern Trust has said that Standard & Poor’s decision to downgrade the U.S. Treasury debt will not affect the firm’s view of the U.S. bond market. Bob Browne, Northern Trust’s chief investment officer, said the downgrade was unlikely to influence the firm’s position on risk assets globally. He noted that Northern Trust has no plans […]
The U.S.’s credit rating was downgraded from AAA to AA+ by credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s late Friday, raising the question of what effect this will this have on Canadian pension plans, many of which are required to hold a certain percentage of assets with AAA ratings. For now, it appears the effect may […]
At the end of last year, pension fund asset levels in most countries had returned to their pre-crisis levels; however, growing risks due to the euro zone crisis and other financial market issues are making the outlook less clear, says the latest report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The 2011 edition of […]
Originally from our sister publication, Advisor.ca. There are many ways to interpret the ongoing U.S. debt ceiling crisis. Many in the Canadian financial industry feel it’s a pointless production before an inevitable resolution. “This is nothing but a show,” said David L. Fingold, lead portfolio manager of the Dynamic Global Discovery Fund. “This is a […]
Watch this video One of the biggest trends in today’s investment environment is a shift to globalization. “Investors are looking beyond stocks and bonds in their portfolio and within stocks and bonds, they’re looking beyond their own borders,” says Catherine LeGraw, investment strategist with BlackRock. “The Canadian investor’s equity portfolio used to be 50% within […]
Originally from our sister publication, Advisor.ca. Unprecedented geopolitical and economic changes have left a trail of destruction, but they’re also breeding new investment opportunities around the world. A panel of investment pundits discussed where those opportunities lie and how to capitalize on them at Franklin Templeton’s 2011 Investment Forum, in Toronto. Discussion rarely strayed far […]
Watch this video Instability in global markets over the past few years has challenged investor confidence in foreign investments and made many people question how to effectively manage a global portfolio, according to Philip Falls, senior investment consultant with PBI Actuarial Consultants. “The theory says you should be [invested in global markets]. But if you […]
Watch this video While the International Monetary Fund does its due diligence, there are still weaknesses in the processes the organization uses when gathering information on various countries. So, according to Dev Kar, lead economist with Global Financial Integrity, this means investors need to do their homework. “The onus falls on the investing institutions to […]
Watch this video Global equities and fixed income mandates are on the rise. Interviewed at the Global Investing Conference hosted this spring by Canadian Investment Review, Adam Bomers, director of investments and research solutions with Aurion Capital, gives his thoughts on the trends he is seeing in this space.