Six in 10 (60 per cent) global institutional investors say interest rate changes were the No. 1 factor behind portfolio adjustments in 2024, according to a new report by the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds. The report, which was based on the activities of long-term institutional investors representing more than $46 trillion in assets […]
Canada’s largest bank said Tuesday that it has scrapped one of its flagship climate commitments and is holding back on publicizing other climate progress in part because of new rules around greenwashing. In its latest sustainability report, the Royal Bank of Canada said that it has dropped its target of facilitation $500 billion in sustainable […]
Doubts about the demand for electric vehicles in the U.S. is creating new questions around the development of the Canadian lithium-ion battery industry, says Jon Wojnicki, a partner at EY Canada. “The Canadian battery landscape has sort of gone soft. People have made the announcements, they say they’re moving forward, but I’ve got to believe […]
Public equities account for, on average, 42 per cent of asset owners’ portfolios, according to a new report by Northern Trust Corp. The report, based on a survey of 180 global asset owners with investment portfolios ranging between US$1 billion and US$500 billion, found stocks were followed by fixed income (27 per cent) and private […]
An article on how flexible retirement savings plans can help employees retire early was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this past week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the last week: 1. Flexible savings plans, employer matching allowing employees to retire earlier than planned: survey 2. Are Canadian […]
The median solvency ratio for Ontario defined benefit pension plans remained stable at 122 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to a new report by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario. It noted throughout 2024, the median solvency funded status remained above 120 per cent, the highest percentage since the FSRA […]
The Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology pension plan is reporting a 15.2 per cent net return at the end of 2024. The investment organization’s total assets under management increased to $23.3 billion in 2024, compared to $20.1 billion in 2023. Read: CAAT returns 9.5% for 2023, led by global, emerging market equities In a […]
The average solvency ratio of Canadian pension plans declined three per cent as at March 31, 2025, according to a new report by Normandin Beaudry. At the end of the first quarter of 2025, the average solvency ratio reached 111 per cent. The decrease was attributed to a combination of increased liabilities and investment performance, […]
Institutional investors are facing tough choices about their allocation choice amid a trade war launched by U.S. President Donald Trump, says Dustin Reid, vice-president and chief strategist of fixed income at Mackenzie Investments. “I think there’s a broad theme in the market, . . . that some of the things that have happened tariff-wise or […]
The Alberta Investment Management Corp. is preventing its staff from travelling to the U.S. for non-essential business trips, according to a report by Bloomberg. The report noted AIMCo employees can still travel to the U.S. for board and investor meetings but conferences or speaking events aren’t allowed anymore. When asked by Benefits Canada to confirm […]