• Northern Trust analysis showed median Canadian defined benefit pension plan returned 0.4% in Q1 2026 as Middle East conflict, energy-supply disruption risk, tariff uncertainty, partial U.S. government shutdown drove volatility.
• Canadian equities rose 3.9%, led by Energy; Information Technology fell more than 22% as North American tech stocks slid on reassessment of AI investment needs.
• U.S. equities fell 2.6% in Canadian dollar terms; international developed markets gained 0.7%; emerging markets rose 1.7%.
• Canadian bonds gained 0.2%, with federal bonds outperforming; Bank of Canada held policy rate at 2.25% amid downside growth risks.
• Federal Reserve kept fed funds rate at 3.5%-3.75% as higher inflation readings emerged; policymakers cited uncertainty on economic impact from war-driven energy-price spike.

Disclaimer: This news brief was created by Public Technologies (PUBT) using generative artificial intelligence. While PUBT strives to provide accurate and timely information, this AI-generated content is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial, investment, or legal advice. Northern Trust Corporation published the original content used to generate this news brief via Business Wire (Ref. ID: 20260504641659) on May 04, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein.