The most sophisticated institutional investors are trained to avoid trends or frenzies surrounding a strategy, but human nature dictates that even some will experience a certain fear of missing out when it comes to unique investment opportunities. Naomi Denning, a principal in the investment consulting practice at Eckler Ltd. says a case of “FOMO” may […]
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and Investissement Québec are each acquiring a minority stake in Quebec-based steelmaker the Honco Group. The transaction consolidates the company’s Quebec-based ownership while accelerating its Canadian and international expansion, according to a press release. “This milestone marks an important step in our approach to value creation and […]
The median solvency ratio of Ontario defined benefit pension plans increased to 124 per cent during the third quarter of 2025, an increase of two per cent from the previous quarter, according to a new report by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario. The percentage of pension plans that were projected to be fully […]
Three-quarters (76 per cent) of institutional investors say they integrate environmental, social and governance across their investment platform, according to a new survey by Callan. The survey, which polled 1,500 institutional investors, found there has been a decline in the use of a firmwide ESG policy from 74 per cent in 2023 to 71 per […]
The world’s 500 largest asset managers’ assets under management reached US$139.9 trillion at the end of 2024, a 9.4 per cent increase from the previous year, according to a new report by WTW’s Thinking Ahead Institute. It found this increase was driven largely by North American asset managers, which reported an average increase of 13 […]
With the S&P 500 up around 90 per cent over the last five years — the so-called ‘Magnificent 7’ driving nearly 70 per cent of its gains this year — and trillions of dollars planned for artificial intelligence spending, some institutional investors have begun to question whether we are in a bubble and whether a […]
A growing demand for customized asset management services by institutional investors is proving to be an expensive proposition for managers, according to a new report by Crisil Coalition Greenwich. Providing customized service propositions is becoming standard in the industry, with half (50 per cent) of global investors indicating they were more likely to award additional […]
An article on proposed changes to preferred pharmacy networks outlined in the Ontario government’s fall economic statement 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. Ontario taking steps to end preferred pharmacy networks, introducing VPLA framework 2. […]
Size matters when it comes to Canada’s much-vaunted model of pension investment. Sebastien Betermier, an associate professor of finance at McGill University’s Desautels Faculty of Management, says the in-house capabilities and direct, private-asset investment that characterize the approach pioneered by the Maple 8 aren’t replicable by just any pension fund. “You need to be really […]
As private market assets become more widely adopted by institutional investors, they open up new, unexpected opportunities. Tom Keenleyside, associate director of investments at Western University, is ready to meet the moment. “We are in the process of scaling up; I think private market investments have become more mainstream among institutional investors. . . . […]