Debt – Benefits Canada.com

The case for eventual inflation

mschmit — Mon, 30 Nov 2020 08:28:23 +0000

While inflation never materialized after the last financial crisis and the subsequent economic expansion, this time will be different, said Erik Weisman, portfolio manager and chief economist at MFS Investment Management, when speaking at the Canadian Investment Review’s Investment Innovation Conference in November. After the global financial crisis, quantitative easing didn’t generate inflation because the […]

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Where does securitized credit fit into pension portfolios?

mschmit — Mon, 30 Nov 2020 05:00:30 +0000

After the global financial crisis, securitized credit was left with a bad reputation, but it may be time for investors to look at how the asset class has changed and the opportunities it offers, says Noah Funderburk, vice-president and portfolio manager at Amundi Pioneer. At its essence, securitized credit is a fixed income security with […]

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A look at the impact of coronavirus on the structural case for emerging markets

mschmit — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 05:06:25 +0000

Historically, the structural case for investing in emerging markets was centred around the idea of convergence — that over time, relatively poor countries will grow their economies and the corporate base in those countries can take advantage of superior returns, said Nicholas Field, emerging markets strategist and fund manager at Schroders, when speaking at the […]

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A path forward for institutional investors amid market headwinds

mschmit — Tue, 13 Oct 2020 04:02:24 +0000

The impact of powerful trends, including aging populations and growing debt levels in the world’s largest economies, has been somewhat mitigated in recent years by the ongoing involvement of central banks in markets and declining interest rates. However, with rates at historic lows, this is not something that can be relied on over the next […]

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Four trends in group retirement, investment programs

mschmit — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 04:45:16 +0000

The coronavirus pandemic is highlighting many trends in group retirement and investment programs, pushing the industry to be flexible and quick with some of the newer offerings. As plan sponsors review their group retirement plans in the coming months, they may want to consider some, or all, of these four trends. 1. Financial wellness becoming a must. […]

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Plan Sponsor Week: Is it time for bond owners to shift how they view deficits and debt?

mschmit — Fri, 04 Sep 2020 04:36:00 +0000

While rising government deficits and debt are concerning for many bond owners, they should actually be more concerned that deficits aren’t big enough, said David Bezic, an independent economic consultant, during a session at Benefits Canada and the Canadian Investment Review’s 2020 Plan Sponsor Week in mid-August. Many of the concerns around debt and deficits are founded on […]

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Is it time for bond owners to shift how they view deficits and debt?

mschmit — Fri, 04 Sep 2020 03:40:20 +0000

While rising government deficits and debt are concerning for many bond owners, they should actually be more concerned that deficits aren’t big enough, said David Bezic, an independent economic consultant, during the Canadian Investment Review and Benefits Canada’s 2020 Plan Sponsor Week in mid-August. Many of the concerns around debt and deficits are founded on […]

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Are markets being driven by FOMO?

mschmit — Thu, 03 Sep 2020 07:50:18 +0000

As central banks stepped into the market to fund operating losses, the ability to raise capital has usurped the natural function of markets: price discovery, says Rob Almeida, investment officer and global investment strategist at MFS Investment Management. Many companies have experienced an epic year raising capital because both good and bad businesses have been […]

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Employees less confident in employers’ ability to provide benefits

mschmit — Mon, 24 Aug 2020 05:15:21 +0000

Some employees are seeing less value in their benefits and are less confident in their employers’ ability to provide them, according to a new survey by the Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. The survey polled U.S. workers in March 2020 and again in June. In March, 80 per cent of survey respondents said they value […]

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What does an increase in long-term government debt issuance mean for pension plans?

mschmit — Wed, 05 Aug 2020 07:40:29 +0000

As part of the federal government’s debt management strategy, it’s increasing long-term debt issuance. In particular, the government will be increasing issuance of the 10-year and 30-year bonds for 2020-2021 to an unprecedented combined amount of $106 billion, according to the federal economic and fiscal snapshot from July 8. The issuance is roughly five times […]

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