TELUS Health has released the results of its Performance Universe of Pension Managers’ Pooled Funds for the first quarter of 2026.
According to the report, in the first quarter of 2026, diversified pooled fund managers posted a median return of 0.5 per cent before management fees.
"In the first quarter of 2026, the S&P/TSX index rose by 3.9 per cent, due to higher oil prices, while the MSCI World and S&P 500 declined by 1.8 per cent and 2.7 per cent, respectively. The emerging markets index gained 1.6 per cent, all figure expressed in Canadian dollars," according to Jean Bergeron, Partner in TELUS Health’s Retirement and Benefits Solutions.
"During the first quarter of 2026, the financial position of a typical pension plan deteriorated in terms of solvency. According to our estimates, the average solvency ratio of pension funds dropped by about 1.2 percent, mainly due to the performance in foreign markets and rising interest rates," says Jean Bergeron.
In the first quarter of 2026, diversified pooled fund managers reported an average return below the benchmark portfolio. The median manager’s return was 1.5 per cent, which is 0.4 per cent lower than the benchmark commonly used by pension funds, based on an allocation of 55 percent equity and 45 per cent fixed income.