We Research

The financial services industry at large

Our coverage is comprehensive and examines the entire financial services ecosystem. Our analyses are delivered through a series of targeted research services. Our team creates paradigms, introduces new analytical frameworks and helps our readers understand the dynamic marketplaces of
which they are a part.

Our Publications

Household Balance Sheet

Investor Economics Household Balance Sheet Report

The Household Balance Sheet Report has become a widely accepted research tool that allows financial services providers to assess the retail market and consider future opportunities and competitive challenges for their businesses. Investor Economics examines and quantifies the wealth market from crucial vantage points, such as distribution channels, product trends and business lines. High-level projections for key financial wealth segments (e.g. the future size of the $1 million-plus market) are an important feature of the report.
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1993
Insight Investment Funds Report

Insight Investment Funds Report

This research service thoroughly examines the investment funds industry. The foundation for Insight is the only comprehensive historical investment funds database in Canada. Subscribers receive a flow of provocative industry research produced on a monthly basis, as well as preferred database access. Insight is not only about data or the production of research reports; it is fundamentally about service. Investor Economics is committed to providing all subscribers with unparalleled hands-on support, responding to their needs with a sense of urgency.
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1995
Retail Brokerage and Distribution Report

Retail Brokerage and Distribution Report

The Retail Brokerage and Distribution Report looks at developments in the Canadian retail brokerage industry and provides brokerage executives with a multi-faceted yardstick for measuring their firm against the industry at large. By giving a sense of what is happening in the industry, the report aids the decision-making of manufacturers, such as mutual fund complexes and life insurers. The report systematically identifies emerging trends and subsequently monitors them on an ongoing basis, allowing companies to efficiently track the role of the brokerage industry in managing the wealth of individual Canadians.
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2000
Fee-based Report

Fee-based Report

Fee-based assets represent the largest and fastest-growing component of Canada’s wealth market. The Fee-based Report is a detailed study that tackles key issues facing competitors in the rapidly growing fee-based market. Entire sections of the report are devoted to fund wraps and the discretionary management side of the market. Key products, competitors, growth leaders and laggards, pricing and cost trends are all examined. The personal trust market and universal life insurance are also featured sections of the report.
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2001
Share of Wealth Market Report


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2002
Insurance Report

Insurance Report

The Insurance Report represents Investor Economics’ flagship research on insurance. This recently-launched service builds on a decade-worth of research into this specialized dimension of the wealth management industry and the legacy of the Segregated Funds Report.
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2005
Brokerage Profitability Report


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2005
Managed Money Report

Managed Money Report

Managed Money is increasingly emerging as a new competitive paradigm in the financial services industry. This comprehensive report tracks and updates all of the main facets of the managed money business in Canada, and provides an analytical framework for measuring a company’s ongoing progress.
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2007
Deposit Report

Deposit Report

The market for deposits and deposit substitute products is significant, both in size and importance. It is essential for financial services providers to have a comprehensive understanding of this key category, as the continuum of fixed income investment options constitutes a major proportion of the balance sheet of Canadian households. Households are presented with numerous options, from money market mutual funds to high-interest savings accounts, all positioned as providing safety and yield.
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2009
Private Banking Profitability

Private Banking Report

The Private Banking Report covers the financial state of the Canadian Private Banking industry. It is published on an semi-annual basis with data at the  end of the Fiscal Year and a brief update with data at the end of June. The focus of this report is on the banking services offered to the country’s wealthiest households and captures major aspects of the private banking balance sheet as well as the P&L statement. With the encouragement and active participation of the six largest banks, we have developed our methodology and analytical approach to the point that we provide each participating bank with a highly customized report on the industry as a whole, and their share of, and success in, the industry.

The Private Banking Report is delivered via email distribution. Please contact us here to learn more.


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2010
ETF and Index Funds Report

ETF and Index Funds Report

In addition to tracking the world of mutual and segregated index funds, this service provides extended coverage of the fast-growing exchange-traded fund (ETF) segment. Through a number of exhibits, we analyze the evolution of ETFs from many vantage points, including asset class, underlying investment and investment strategy.
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2011
Branch Advice / Mass Affluent Report

2018 Sales and Service Models for the Mass Affluent–Canada

This report provides a strategic and competitive assessment of the branch advice delivery models employed by each of the Big Six banks. As such, the report serves dual objectives. The first is to provide an in-depth analysis of the strategic objectives, the structure and the success of individual bank models. This is done both on an individual bank and cross-bank comparative basis. The findings of this detailed analysis are mobilized to identify key success factors in establishing and managing a branch advice organization. The key perspectives addressed in this detailed view include: -Branch advice personnel profiling (the types, qualifications and number of personnel) -Product composition -The product shelf and responsibilities docket -Financial planning capabilities and degree of commitment to the financial planning process -Branch advisor compensation models -The client relationship management structure -The client triage process -Referral strategies -Individual bank asset rankings and degree of vertical integration
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Group Retirement Savings and Pensions Report

Group Retirement Savings and Pensions Report

The Group Retirement Savings and Pensions Report focuses on the $3.0 trillion Canadian retirement market and provides extensive coverage of the various retirement funding models. There is extensive discussion on broader retirement issues (aging population, savings adequacy, DB plan conversion) as well as competitive pressures for participants in the group market that has become more relevant given the size of the retirement market and number of relationships with individuals in Canada. 
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2012
Financial Advisor Channel Report

Financial Advisor Channel Report

The Financial Advisor Channel Report provides a comprehensive view of the financial advisor landscape. Subscribers will be able to immediately assess the size, scope and the progression of financial advisor channel firms, while gaining a direct understanding of the key players, ideas and regulatory considerations that are shaping the future direction of the industry. Each issue will provide an in-depth analysis of topical research and its strategic importance to industry participants.
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2016
Fintech Report

Fintech Report

With a particular emphasis on wealth management, the Fintech Report was created to provide a comprehensive view of the Canadian fintech landscape, size the market potential for emergent business models, and interpret the impacts their entrance will have on the broader industry. Subscribers to this research will be able to immediately assess the size, scope, and the progression of fintech firms in the wealth management space, while gaining a direct understanding of the key players, ideas and innovations that are shaping the future direction of the industry.
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2016
Global White Paper Series

Global Research White Paper Series

Our Global Research Whitepaper Series establishes a common analytical framework for evaluating global themes including regulation, technology, retirement and more. The research approach is anchored in three core principles: measuring the facts; developing and maintaining an analytical frame with which to benchmark the progress of the various market participants against; and fostering industry insights by engaging business leaders, regulators and industry observers in a comprehensive discussion of key issues.
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2017
State of Wholesaling in Canada

State of Wholesaling Report

The State of Wholesaling Report study aims to establish and maintain an analytical, fact-based framework for asset managers to measure and benchmark their wholesaling infrastructure against peers and optimize it using a holistic set of quantitative and qualitative metrics exclusively developed for the users of this research. The study features insights from sales leaders on the early impacts of the global pandemic and expected changes to the wholesaling model going forward.
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2020

Our Latest Reports

Latest Research Reports