Insight June 2016

Distributors of investment products have endured more disruption over the last five years than over the prior two decades. This disturbance is not only a Canadian phenomenon, but represents a global trend. Prompted by the destabilization of traditional gateways to the investor, mutual fund companies have started to think differently, not only about distribution, but also about who they are and in what direction their businesses should develop to fit with their main audience: advice-givers. As the distribution and manufacturing businesses evolve in response to competitive pressures, technological advancements and regulatory change, the traditional bonds between distributors and fund sponsors are breaking. The June issue of Insight looks at the evolution of the investment fund shelf in different distribution conduits, the growing presence of ETFs in certain channels, the shift to solutions and the footprint of the Big Six banks. The Trendlines article focuses on trends in sales across the provinces in the first quarter of 2016