Description: As we meet with pension plan sponsors and consultants across Canada we find that the subject of liability-driven investing LDI comes up repeatedly even when we do not initiate the discussion. We also find that LDI seems to mean something different to each person we meet. Is LDI just a new name for asset/liability management ALM? Or is LDI just about hedging interest rate risks with fancy securities? In this article we describe a framework for understanding what LDI is, how it relates to ALM, and how it can be used to solve real-life problems for Canadian pension funds.

Description: Column from the chairperson of the Investment Section.

Description: Read the April 2020 issue of Risks & Rewards published by the Investment Section. Newsletters provide practical information for the working actuary, articles on trends that impact sections and news about section activities.

Description: Feature article discussing the current state of interest rates globally.

Description: Crossword puzzle featured in the September 2020 issue of Risks & Rewards.

Description: This article explains the concept of 'duration' for measuring asset sensitivity to interest rates, looks at different types of duration, and implications of relying on the wrong measure.

Description: 1996 Valuation Actuary Symposium. In this session on sources of earnings, the panelists discusses implementation of SOE reporting, use of SOE as a management tool, why having SOE reporting is particularly useful for international operations, and SOE reporting from a reinsurance perspective.

Description: Society of Actuaries (SOA) Research Institute’s Committee on Finance Research (CFR) and SOA Investment Section are interested in an exploration of the impact of Artificial Intelligence on investment professionals from a variety of perspectives. The result of this effort is intended to provide a useful resource for readers to become well-grounded on the issues surrounding the impact of these tools in an investment context and set the stage for future research.

Description: This document discusses the process of obtaining regulatory approval for actuarial innovations in the United States. It includes information on the research project conducted by the Society of Actuaries and Milliman, insights from interviews with actuaries and regulators, as well as advice for presenting and defending innovative ideas.

Description: On January 12, 2023, the Arizona Blockchain Applied Research Center (AZ BARC) and the SOA Research Institute jointly ran a workshop on the use of blockchain technology in insurance and financial industries. The workshop included presentations focused on academic research in the blockchain space by Arizona State University, AZ BARC and an industry expert panel assembled by the SOA Research Institute. This document summarizes the research highlights and the discussions that occurred during the two-hour workshop.