Insight January 2011 Annual Industry Review

The January issue of Insight presents our annual “state of the union” of the Canadian investment funds industry. After declining sharply as a result of the global equity market downturn of 2008/2009, investment fund assets rebounded during 2010, reaching pre-crisis levels at the end of November. But this recovery to pre- bear levels does not mean the industry is in the same place as it was before the market crash. As Dorothy said upon arriving in Oz, “We’re not in Kansas anymore.” The bear market has accelerated the restructuring of the funds industry on several fronts; the industry appears to be not only “on track” but running ahead of the projected trend lines for a number of key themes, including the shift to solutions, the importance of income delivery, and focus on costs. At the outset of the new decade, the fund industry’s prospects are revolving around the challenges of the three Cs: competition, consolidation and cost. The January 2011 issue of Insight is now available for subscriber download.