An altering macroeconomic environment means that cost management requires continual attention by pension plans and other institutional investors. Today, as inflation and higher-for-longer rates exert upward pressure on institutional investors’ costs in a variety of areas, from technology to team member salaries, it’s time once again to re-evaluate the fees being paid to external asset […]
While the median investment management fee paid by institutional investors for private equity deals during the investment period is between 1.75 per cent and two per cent, it drops only slightly to between 1.72 per cent to 1.96 per cent following the investment period, according to a new report from Callan. The report analyzed more than 400 private […]
The consolidation of firms within the pension and benefits industries could pose a threat because there’s less choice available in terms of service providers, says Susan G. Seller, a pension and benefits lawyer at Bennett Jones LLP. “I think the evolution of the services they offer . . . poses a particular challenge for employers […]
Three-quarters (74 per cent) of U.S. defined contribution pension plan sponsors say they’ll review plan fees throughout 2024, according to a new survey by investment consulting firm Callan. The survey, which polled more than 130 DC plan sponsors, found that half of respondents said they’re likely to move to lower-cost investment vehicles in 2024, up […]
Even though it has been two years since the U.S. Federal Reserve started rapidly hiking interest rates, hedge fund managers aren’t more likely to have a hurdle rate in place now than they were during the zero interest-rate policy era. Yet institutional investors are pushing for change. There’s a strong carry component to many hedge […]
The Joint Forum of Financial Market Regulators is establishing a committee to help implement its total cost reporting plan. The plan aims to increase investor and policy-holders’ awareness of the ongoing costs of owning investment funds and individual segregated fund contracts. The committee, which is comprised of joint forum members and industry representatives, will provide […]
With Canadians’ financial priorities shifting alongside a turbulent economic climate, including inflation levels not seen in decades and a never-ending rise in the cost of living, it isn’t surprising capital accumulation plan members’ commitment to retirement savings is taking a hit. Benefits Canada’s 2023 CAP Member Survey found just 41 per cent of respondents rated […]
A new study looking at the implications of scale in defined benefit pension plans found size is key for several trends over time, including investment mandates, asset allocation and cost in returns. The research, ‘Scale Economies, Bargaining Power and Investment Performance: Evidence from Pension Plans‘ was recently awarded first prize in the International Centre for […]
Even though it sounds obvious, maximizing retirement income and making it last for life isn’t what drives most retirees when it comes to making decisions — which is contributing to the challenges around decumulation, said Fred Vettese, an author and pension expert, during Benefits Canada‘s 2023 Defined Contribution Plan Summit. “The hurdles we have to […]
Three-quarters (76 per cent) of U.S. defined contribution pension plan sponsors say their plan offers automatic enrolment, according to a new survey by investment consulting firm Callan. The survey, which polled roughly 100 DC plan sponsors, found the vast majority used auto-enrolment for new hires, while far fewer offered this feature for current employees. Half […]