In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, institutional investors are increasingly factoring geopolitical risks into portfolio construction, according to John Bai, senior vice-president and chief investment officer at NEI Investments, during a 2023 economic outlook seminar hosted by the Canadian Pension and Benefits Institute on Wednesday. “All of a sudden, geopolitical risks went from […]
Nearly two-thirds of institutional investors say they’re planning to increase their allocations to real assets over the next two years, amid a backdrop of inflation and sustainability challenges, according to a survey by Aviva Investors. The survey, which polled 500 institutional investors from around the world, found nearly half (47 per cent) said they have […]
Nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) of U.S. workers say their financial stress increased in 2022, according to a new survey by the Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. The survey, which polled more than 900 employees, found more than half (56 per cent) said their financial stress negatively impacted their mental health, a percentage that increased […]
If there was one message for defined benefit pension plan sponsor delegates at the 2022 Defined Benefit Investment Forum, it was that the fate of global markets in 2023 is on a knife’s edge. In the keynote address, Douglas Porter, chief economist and managing director at BMO Financial Group, said he expects the Canadian economy […]
BMO Financial Group expects North American economies will go through a shallow recession in 2023, according to Douglas Porter, the bank’s chief economist and managing director, during a session at the Canadian Investment Review‘s 2022 Defined Benefit Investment Forum. “I would give it a 25 per cent chance that central banks can still negotiate this without one. […]
Financial education and well-being initiatives are in the spotlight as employees face the stress of multiple financial headwinds — from inflation reaching a 40-year high to the strong likelihood of an impending recession — and search for advice and clarity. “There’s a very strong correlation between financial wellness and mental wellness,” said Dr. Jim Chung […]
More than two-thirds (67 per cent) of U.S. employees say concerns about a recession are impacting their mental health, according to a new survey by Principal Financial Group. The survey, which polled 500 employers and 200 employees, found this percentage increased among millennials (79 per cent) and generation Z (76 per cent). Nearly three-quarters of […]
While the vast majority (85 per cent) of institutional investors believe the economy is in a recession or will enter a recession next year, two-thirds (65 per cent) think stagflation is the bigger risk ahead, according to a survey by Natixis Investment Managers. The survey, which polled 500 institutional investors across the globe, found more than half […]
Canada’s employment insurance system requires modernization to withstand future economic challenges and to ensure Canadians’ financial security, according to a new report by the Institute for Research on Public Policy. The proportion of unemployed Canadians eligible for EI has decreased from 80 per cent in the 1980s to 40 per cent today, it said, noting […]
The vast majority (87 per cent) of small- and medium-sized employers agreed employee mental health is very important to the success of their business, according to a new survey by the Business Development Bank of Canada. The survey, which polled 750 owners of SMEs, found nearly three-quarters (72 per cent) currently place a high priority on […]