RBC said Canadian defined benefit plans posted a 6.0% median return in the second quarter, reversing a weak first quarter and lifting first-half performance to 6.4%.
Emerging-markets equities drove the rebound, rising 26.1% in the quarter as Korea and Taiwan semiconductor stocks rallied; global equities gained 15.1% and unhedged U.S. exposure got an extra boost from a weaker Canadian dollar.
U.S. stocks led developed markets with the S&P 500 up 17.1%, while technology jumped 34.0% and semiconductor equipment soared 52.2%, reinforcing plan sponsors' focus on AI-related exposure.
Fixed income also returned 3.0%—the first quarter in nearly a year that both equities and debt gained together—beating the FTSE Canada Universe Bond Index's 2.0% rise.
RBC said the quarter largely preceded the latest U.S.-Canada tariff fight, while the next key risk for sponsors is rate sensitivity after the Bank of Canada held its policy rate at 2.25%.