Latest institutional insights

May 22, 2026

Explore how insurers are using private real estate lending to seek yield, diversification and capital efficiency amid shifting fixed-income markets. In this AM Best webinar, sponsored by SLC Management and BGO, speakers discuss portfolio fit, the evolving risk and regulatory landscape and where opportunities may be emerging.

May 08, 2026

Looking deeper into liquidity, AI factors in the market

Issuance momentum carried into the beginning of the year, with notable year-over-year volume increases for the quarter. Meanwhile, continued headline focus on specific corners of stress in private credit, plus secular issues related to AI, have created conditions in which deeper analysis of this investment universe could generate opportunities. 

February 19, 2026

Tuning out the white noise in private credit

Placement volumes remained healthy in Q4 2025, powered by strong investor demand. This occurred despite an uncertain macro environment, and recent, highly public defaults in specific corners of the private credit universe merit a more comprehensive look at these asset classes. 

February 02, 2026

Welcome to SLC Management’s investment outlook for 2026. In this report, our investment teams and solutions providers discuss public and private fixed income, real estate, infrastructure, insurance asset management and retirement plans.

March 25, 2026

Our recent insurance roundtable in New York brought together industry leaders to discuss the forces influencing insurers’ portfolios today – including developments in private credit markets, the growing role of data and AI and the importance of steady, fundamentals‑based judgment in a complex environment. Explore the full summary. 

October 31, 2025

Robust issuance continued into Q3, reflecting solid supply–demand dynamics. As the IG private credit market grows, however, we take a closer look at the diverse array of origination channels in this investment universe, discussing the potential benefits, drawbacks and possible misconceptions surrounding these sources of deal flow. 

January 09, 2026

Commercial real estate ("CRE") debt — and in particular, value-add lending — is an asset class that is historically underutilized by insurance companies. But there are compelling reasons for them to reconsider.

January 09, 2026

Commercial real estate ("CRE") debt — and in particular, value-add lending — is an asset class that is historically underutilized by insurance companies. But there are compelling reasons for them to reconsider.

October 29, 2025

For our 2025 SLC Management Insurance Asset Management Survey, we conducted quantitative and qualitative interviews with 250 insurer decisionmakers on their investment positioning and the results are in.

June 26, 2025

In a year already marked by tariff uncertainty, market volatility and macro-level changes, what’s next for the rest of 2025? In our newest podcast series, Checking In, Looking Ahead, our investment team provides insights and outlook on what’s to come.

November 07, 2025

Robust issuance continued into Q3, reflecting solid supply–demand dynamics. As the IG private credit market grows, however, we take a closer look at the diverse array of origination channels in this investment universe, discussing the potential benefits, drawbacks and possible misconceptions surrounding these sources of deal flow. 

October 29, 2025

For our 2025 SLC Management Insurance Asset Management Survey, we conducted quantitative and qualitative interviews with 250 insurer decisionmakers on their investment positioning and the results are in.

August 20, 2025

Issuance activity overcame a slower start to the quarter to end at volumes exceeding Q1. Also, the continued uncertainties over global trade, inflation and fiscal policies highlight the potential benefits of IG private credit against this backdrop.

July 24, 2025

Discover how rising rates and evolving objectives are reshaping Liability-Driven Investing (LDI) approaches and expanding investment options.

July 09, 2025

Nicolas Delisle, Managing Director and Portfolio Manager of Private Fixed Income, discusses how the evolution of fund finance structures offers opportunities for Canadian investors at the Canadian Investment Review's Global Investment Conference.

May 13, 2025

Credit markets reported considerable year-over-year deal activity, with investor demand a principal driver. Meanwhile, continued development, expansion and innovation in the asset-backed finance (ABF) space requires a renewed perspective into the possible benefits and risks of these investments.

February 11, 2025

In this issue, we discuss the uncertainty caused by trade tensions, some cooling in shelter prices and effects of the Canadian government’s tax moves.

February 10, 2025

Strong October issuance led to a strong fourth quarter of 2024. Meanwhile, business development companies (BDCs) continue to grow as potential opportunities for IG private credit investors.

January 30, 2025

Welcome to SLC Management’s investment outlook for 2025. In this report, our investment teams and solutions providers discuss public and private fixed income, real estate, infrastructure, insurance asset management and retirement plans.

December 18, 2024

It’s that time of the year, where everyone’s social media is filled with “Spotify Wrapped,” covering the most listened to artists and tracks of the calendar year. This prompted us to think: why not end 2024 by looking back on the trends, events, and milestones that defined the insurance industry? Check out 2024 Insurance Wrapped.

November 27, 2024

Amid continuing pressures on social infrastructure, SLC Management discusses investor opportunities to enhance returns, while advancing public interest initiatives.

November 12, 2024

Check out these insights from Louis Pelosi, Managing Director, Client Solutions at SLC Management. Louis was a special guest on the Insurance AUM podcast, where he discussed the unique needs of clients in the insurance asset management business, managing asset allocations against liabilities and more.

October 31, 2024

Welcome to our Canadian Insurance Newsletter, where we deliver insights on industry trends, regulatory updates and investment strategies relevant for insurance professionals.

December 10, 2024

Fund finance, which includes strategies such as net asset value (NAV) lending, has become a fast growing tool employed by asset managers seeking financing and for institutional investors seeking potential risk–return benefits. Gain further insights from our investment team: 

September 30, 2024

LDI programs often face a tradeoff between hedging liabilities and enhancing diversification, among other competing goals. Our investment team discusses how IG private credit can help solve the conundrum.

September 20, 2024

Our insurance specialists discuss how a multitude of risk components can affect an insurer’s capital structure, returns and ability to generate shareholder value. Read more on our latest insights.

November 14, 2024

In this issue, we discuss cooling inflation, price softness across several CPI categories and alternatives to RRBs in inflation hedging.

August 15, 2024

With investors increasingly looking into the potential benefits of NAV lending, SLC Management takes a closer look at this asset class.

July 22, 2024

Welcome to SLC Management’s investment outlook for the mid-year point of 2024. Learn more about what our investment teams and solutions providers expect for public and private fixed income, real estate, infrastructure, insurers and retirement plans.

July 22, 2024

Welcome to SLC Management’s investment outlook for the mid-year point of 2024. Learn more about what our investment teams and solutions providers expect for public and private fixed income, real estate, infrastructure, insurers and retirement plans.

May 30, 2024

SLC Management joined this year’s Pensions & Investments Canadian Pension Risk Strategies (CRISK) events to share insights and help institutional investors navigate the complexities of private markets.

May 16, 2024

Market statistics for the private placement market sourced from Private Placement Monitor, a standard proxy for the IG private credit market.

Robust volumes, greater demand from a growing investor base and tightening spreads characterized private credit during the first quarter. New investors coming into the market has also led to increased market capacity and larger deal sizes. Meanwhile, fund finance has emerged as a growing, evolving sector for institutional investors looking for potential diversification, investment premiums and risk managed performance.

April 22, 2024

At the beginning of 2024 there was little solid consensus on the direction of interest rates. Expectations for federal bank actions ranged from rate decreases for earlier in the year to rates remaining high until at least 2025. Such uncertainty can make things difficult for fixed income investors, as in many cases bond yields are highly correlated to interest rates.

February 14, 2024

Investment grade (IG) private credit volume in Q4 2023 was the strongest for the year at US$28.6 billion, bouncing back from US$14.1 billion in Q3 2023, the lowest quarterly volume of the year. While we won’t know final results for a few months, preliminary 2023 volume of US$90.7 billion fell short of US$92.3 billion in 2022. Issuers that had something to get done came to market in the last quarter and investors responded positively. This was in contrast to much of 2023 when issuers were put off by high rates or market uncertainty and investors were either less liquid or more cautious immediately after the failure of Silicon Valley Bank.

February 12, 2024

Welcome to SLC Management’s investment outlook for 2024. In this report, our investment teams and solutions providers discuss public and private fixed income, real estate, infrastructure, insurance asset management and retirement plans.

June 20, 2023

Pensions and Investments recently published a commentary from Tim Boomer, Senior Managing Director, Head of Client Solutions at SLC Management, on how the Special Financial Assistance Program of the American Rescue Plan Act could benefit underfunded multiemployer Taft-Hartley.

November 16, 2023

A volatile economic and market environment has led to increased interest among institutional investors for more diversified credit exposure. One segment of the credit market that’s often overlooked is the narrowly syndicated credit (NSC) space, which can offer the potential for higher yields with reduced volatility characteristics.

November 16, 2023

A volatile economic and market environment has led to increased interest among institutional investors for more diversified credit exposure. One segment of the credit market that’s often overlooked is the narrowly syndicated credit (NSC) space, which can offer the potential for higher yields with reduced volatility characteristics.

November 13, 2023

In this issue, we discuss the continued increase in headline CPI, a burst in RRB trading volume in Q3, and why implementing a U.S. based inflationary strategy could be expensive for Canadian investors.

November 01, 2023

In a slow quarter for the investment grade (IG) private credit market, robust industrial and utility sector issuance helped support volume amid decreased financial issuance. We are seeing a possible turnaround in decreasing IG private credit demand to date as markets begin to adopt “higher for longer” rate expectations. Meanwhile, we are taking a closer look at infrastructure debt investments amid increased focus on the diversification, risk management and other potential benefits of the asset class.

September 05, 2023

In this issue, we discuss the unexpected increase in headline CPI in July and the significant decrease in RRB trading volume.

August 21, 2023

Issuance of investment grade private credit (IG private credit) proved resilient in Q2 2023, with the market providing some respite during uncertainty in the public debt space. H1 2023 issuance, however, is still behind that of the same period last year, largely due to a decrease in volume in financials. Amid other promising sectors, we see potential value in asset-backed securities (ABS), in particular senior IG ABS. From a volume and return perspective, 2023 could be an especially strong year for ABS investors, in our view.  

August 21, 2023

Issuance of investment grade private credit (IG private credit) proved resilient in Q2 2023, with the market providing some respite during uncertainty in the public debt space. H1 2023 issuance, however, is still behind that of the same period last year, largely due to a decrease in volume in financials. Amid other promising sectors, we see potential value in asset-backed securities (ABS), in particular senior IG ABS. From a volume and return perspective, 2023 could be an especially strong year for ABS investors, in our view.  

August 08, 2023

July 26, 2023

June 08, 2023

Our affiliate Crescent Capital Group’s John Fekete and Chris Wright recently sat down with Private Debt Investor to discuss the evolution of private debt and the future of credit.

January 31, 2023

We are pleased to present SLC Management’s investment outlook for 2023. This report reflects the diverse viewpoints of our investment teams and solutions providers, with analyses of public and private fixed income, real estate, infrastructure, insurance asset management and retirement plans.

August 01, 2023

Welcome to SLC Management’s investment outlook for mid-year 2023. In this report, our investment teams and solutions providers share their insights, analyses and perspectives on public and private fixed income, real estate, infrastructure, insurance asset management and retirement plans.

September 24, 2021

Funded statuses are at record highs and rising interest rates are affecting expected bond yields. Learn why it’s a great time to take action to preserve your plan’s financial health. 

September 20, 2021

Inflation tends to top the list of economic risks that investors obsess most about. After all, runaway inflation has devastated some economies over the centuries. Corralling inflation and keeping expectations well-anchored have been key mandates for most central banks for decades. However, inflation expectations are not uniform across age groups.

May 27, 2021

Investment grade private credit has been a major investment theme for U.S. insurers of all types. The asset class can offer additional yield, diversification and risk charges similar to that of a public corporate bond.

April 13, 2021

The most prominent commodity index, the S&P GSCI, is up over 86% since last March. While most markets have roared back since the depths of the COVID-19 market scare, commodities have been a frontrunner in the recovery. Talk of a commodity supercycle is already heating up, but investors should be careful not to overreact to recent data. Some commodities are notorious for fleeting booms and busts and typically need fundamental shifts in demand or supply to elevate prices for an extended period.

April 08, 2021

Listen to Insurance AUM’s latest podcast, where SLC Management’s Andrew Kleeman and Crescent Capital Group’s Chris Wright and John Bowman discuss opportunities for insurers across the private credit spectrum.

February 26, 2021

Economic history shows a remarkable pattern of broad themes that play out over decades. Each subsequent shift to a new phase is usually accelerated by innovation or a geopolitical shock. These transitions usually have fundamental impacts on growth, inflation and asset prices.

February 10, 2021

Our PM’s discuss the prospects of inflation and potential effects on U.S. markets.

February 09, 2021

Bitcoin emerged from the scars of the 2008 financial crisis as distrust in governments and central banks inspired the digital currency to thrive outside the establishment. Unlike traditional currencies backed by sovereign credit and taxing authority, Bitcoin has no equivalent support. This push for monetary independence found early adopters in those that wanted to transact anonymously. Then with time, it captured broader investor interest. Yesterday, Tesla announced that it has bought $1.5 billion of bitcoin, which it plans to accept as payment.

July 11, 2026

Infrastructure debt has become an increasingly prominent component of many portfolios. SLC Management takes a deeper look into the market forces, potential benefits and outlooks driving this investment universe. 

November 24, 2020

President-elect Joseph R. Biden is poised to take office and contend with a number of economic challenges. What does the U.S. election outcome mean for the domestic and international market outlook?

October 08, 2020

Yield and income remain critical components for U.S. insurers, and a reconsideration of their core fixed income portfolio should include serious conversations about investment grade private credit. In short, we believe it’s where the yield is.

October 08, 2020

The Bank of Canada must handle three challenges simultaneously—providing economic stimulus, hitting inflation targets and managing its massively expanded balance sheet—all while dealing with associated credit and political risks.

September 23, 2020

Investors wanting to meet environmental, social and governance criteria are looking closely at private credit but are also wanting to see more rigorous reporting and measurement.

September 16, 2020

The U.S. and China relationship remains tense. The global devastation of Covid-19 provided a flashpoint for recriminations as countries quarrel about who should have done more. Geopolitical risks rise further as Americans go to the polls in November and China’s President, Xi Jinping, aims to sustain nationalism as the economy recovers from the pandemic.

September 08, 2020

Investing in foreign assets such as international equities can provide investors with diversification and growth potential. However, investors holding assets denominated in foreign currencies must always consider currency risk. Identifying and managing this risk helps to isolate the risk and return of the underlying investment. Another consideration when buying foreign assets is that the total return in local currency terms will be a combination of the return of the asset and the change in the exchange rate. Investors should determine their risk tolerance and analyze market conditions as they consider foreign equities. Unlike equity risk, currency risk is not necessarily compensated by a risk premium, especially with Developed Market (DM) currencies.

August 10, 2020

President Donald Trump’s chances of keeping his job were a lot higher before a global health crisis reached the U.S. With COVID-19 battering the economy, public sentiment is rapidly shifting towards Democrat and Former Vice President Joe Biden – a pragmatic moderate who now holds a double-digit lead in national polls.

July 09, 2020

As unemployment spiked this spring, the U.S. government put its faith in the $500 billion of loans to small businesses from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Yet this huge wave of stimulus did little to secure jobs, according to preliminary results from a study by economist Raj Chetty and his team at Harvard.

June 09, 2020

Investment grade private credit is a capital efficient asset class that can offer investors the potential for excess returns, lower downgrades and defaults and provide a natural hedge for long-term liabilities.

April 29, 2020

Markets are stressed and many investors are, too. The good news is our team believes that extreme volatility can also present opportunities.

March 31, 2020

For many plan sponsors March proved to be a perfect storm of negative conditions, as equity markets fell dramatically and interest rates hit record lows. While widening credit spreads provide some relief in terms of higher discount rates, many liability hedging portfolios, holding the broad spectrum of bonds, may have underperformed liabilities valued under the annuity proxy.

March 06, 2020

Read Canadian Investment Review’s summary of SLC Management’s Investment Innovation Conference presentation on corporate bonds. The article looks at challenges in the Canadian corporate bond market and  opportunities outside Canada as investors build their own Canadian corporate bond portfolio.

March 04, 2020

February 2020 saw the spread of the coronavirus enter a new phase. South Korean and Italian hot spots emerged and countries around the world went on high alert. Almost 50 countries have now reported at least one infection within their borders.

February 25, 2020

With another uneventful earnings season coming to a close, the long stretch of near-record corporate profit margins is making investors nervous that a correction is brewing. That anxiety seems overdone. There is mounting evidence that large U.S. companies are more resilient than ever.

February 10, 2020

Superbugs that resist treatment and spread rapidly like Coronavirus always catch the headlines. The market impact of most viruses tends to be intense, but it soon fades. However, this round is different, and investors could be underestimating the longer-term impact of this latest health emergency on global supply chains.

January 27, 2020

By Peter Cramer, Senior Portfolio Manager, Insurance Asset Management After years of modest price rises, investors have become immune to inflation risk and are increasingly unwilling to pay the insurance premium to protect their portfolios. A return of above-target inflation could cause a sudden spur of volatility.

January 09, 2020

With the first jobs release of 2020 being published tomorrow, investors will be paying more attention than usual. Last October, Claudia Sahm, a former Federal Reserve economist, developed a new, and remarkably simple, measure of recession risk based on the unemployment rate.

November 19, 2019

By Timothy Boomer, Head of Client Solutions, SLC Management For many investors, derivatives are often associated with excessive risk taking. This likely stems from the way that investors have historically used derivatives to try and enhance returns by leveraging up risk exposures.

October 31, 2019

As investors look to diversify their fixed income strategies, an integrated and holistic approach can make a big difference.

October 25, 2019

When Sun Life decided in 2013 to start a third-party asset management company – SLC Management – they were confident about having a strong base in Canada, but eager to grow their presence internationally. In just five years, SLC Management has transformed into a bonafide global asset manager with a significant presence in the U.S., Asia and Europe.

October 04, 2019

As we settle back in following a summer of volatility, the markets have struck a note of cautious optimism. This uptick promises to be more than a fleeting relief rally. There are nascent indications that the recovery in equity prices and Treasury yields are justified by fundamentals, and that investors have been too slow to adjust to a more positive narrative. 

June 01, 2019

We surveyed decision-makers from 50 Canadian institutional pension plans about sustainable investing. While ESG issues remain a hot topic for discussion, not all plans are putting ESG talk into action.

May 13, 2019

There has been a buzz associated with private credit for some time now. Institutional investors have been turning to this high-profile asset class as evidenced by over $540 billion1 in global private debt fundraising over the past five years.

August 20, 2018

With the approaching anniversary of the global financial crisis, an important metric is being reset: the 10-year performance track record. Asset managers will, starting very soon, no longer have 2008 on their 10-year historical performance charts. With its disappearance, an elementary but key gauge of risk management will vanish as well.