While public equities appear to be holding steady, at least for the moment, certain longer-term indicators could give institutional investors cause for concern. “Growth is not at risk and inflation is nowhere to be found. And those two factors are likely to push central banks to become complacent,” says Florian Ielpo, head of macroeconomic research at Unigestion […]
While markets remain in the longest bull run in history, worries abound that the party has to come to an end. “Interest rates have been so low for so long, they’ve become the new normal,” said Mark Machin, president and chief executive officer of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, at an event hosted by […]
Canadian defined benefit pension plans posted a median 1.7 per cent return in the third quarter of 2019, down from 2.7 per cent in the previous quarter, according to the latest RBC Investor and Treasury Services’ universe. In comparison to the same quarter last year, the returns represent an improvement, with DB plans posted a meagre […]
A defined contribution plan sponsor’s strategic decisions around asset allocation are far more influential to the performance of the pension portfolio than security selection or timing investments. “The strategic decision is very important in terms of long-term results and the long-term experience of your plan members,” said Chhad Aul, vice-president of portfolio management at Sun […]
It’s been one month since Peter Lindley, the OPSEU Pension Trust’s new president and chief executive officer, started the role. With an engineering degree and a more than 30-year career in finance under his belt, Lindley’s most recent role was president and head of investments at State Street Global Advisors. “When I went to work […]
Canadian defined benefit pension plans are increasingly focused on implementing long-term goals and mitigating asset risk amid a year of market volatility and shifting regulatory landscape, according to a new survey by Aon. Its biennial Canadian pension risk survey found 96 per cent of plan sponsors said they have a long-term strategy to reach their objectives, up […]
On Aug. 13, after Argentina’s primary elections took a different direction than markets expected, the country’s stocks suffered one of the most dramatic crashes in global history. “It was a super unusual reaction,” says Jim Barrineau, head of emerging market debt at Schroders Investment Management Ltd. He notes the market crash was especially bizarre because […]
While some pension fund managers swear by hedge funds, others would never sink in a single cent. After the 2008 financial crisis turned some investors sour, is it time to give hedge funds a second chance? Colin Spinney, treasurer at Dalhousie University: The Dalhousie pension plan once had a stand-alone allocation to hedge funds, or […]
Global market volatility drove Canadian defined benefit pension plans’ median returns lower in the second quarter of 2019, according to BNY Mellon Asset Management Canada Ltd. and RBC Investor and Treasury Services. Among the 84 Canadian corporate, public and university pension plans in BNY Mellon’s tracking service, the quarterly return was just 2.34 per cent, compared to […]
The Nova Scotia Public Service Superannuation Plan posted a 5.33 per cent return for the 2018/19 fiscal year, with $335 million in total investment income, according to its annual report. Net of investment management fees, the plan’s rate of return was 5.13 per cent. Measured both ways, the returns slightly underperformed the plan’s benchmark rate of […]