Canadian corporate and public pension plans in the RBC Investor & Treasury Services universe returned an overall 2.7% in the second quarter, down from the 7.2% return for the first quarter but up from the 2.2% return during the second quarter of 2018.
Canadian equities returned 2.3% in the quarter ended June 30, down from 12.4% in the quarter ended March 31. Meanwhile, Canadian fixed-income returns were 3.7% in the second quarter, down from 5.6% in the previous quarter.
"Second-quarter growth can be considered healthy, but modest, and managers will need to maintain their cautious approach and actively manage their portfolios and risk exposure," said Ryan Silva, RBC I&TS director and head of pension and insurance segments, global client coverage, in a news release.
Mr. Silva also noted that "Geopolitical and trade unrest as well as slowing global economies continue to persist, and Canadian investors are growing increasingly aware of their impact on our markets and economy."
