CIBC Global Asset Management launches new institutional pools

TORONTO, Jan. 16, 2012 /CNW/ - CIBC Global Asset Management Inc. recently expanded its offering with an extensive suite of new and enhanced institutional pools. These pools span Canadian, U.S. and global equities, as well as Canadian fixed income.

"We are dedicated to anticipating and meeting our clients' evolving needs, and these new offerings do just that - they provide a range of investment management solutions, backed by a skilled investment management team that is dedicated to rigorous research and disciplined portfolio implementation," said Duncan Webster, Chief Investment Officer and Head of CIBC Global Asset Management.

• The CIBC Canadian Equity All Cap Value Pool draws upon the skills of 17 investment professionals dedicated to Canadian equities. It seeks to provide long term capital growth and enhanced returns while focusing on downside protection to control risk, by investing in a diversified portfolio of small, mid and large cap Canadian listed companies.
  
  
• The CIBC Canadian Equity Large Cap Dividend Value Pool seeks portfolio outperformance over the long term by owning the stocks of large cap "blue chip" companies, with above average yields, and buying those companies when their valuations are below their historic averages.

Both of these pools benefit from CIBC Global Asset Management's proprietary Research Modeling and Analytics Platform.

"Institutional clients can now also benefit from CIBC's recent 41 per cent investment in top-ranked U.S.-based American Century Investments," said Mr. Webster. "Our organizations are similar in that we both have a focus on rigorous research. It has resulted in a strong partnership and has enabled us to create three new actively managed foreign equity pools for our clients."

• The CIBC U.S. Equity Value Pool uses fundamental research to identify and invest in quality companies trading below their fair market value.
  
  
• The CIBC U.S. Equity All Cap Growth Pool identifies companies with positive corporate change dynamics which result in earnings and fundamentals improving at an accelerating rate.
  
  
• The CIBC Global Equity Growth (ACWI) Pool uses the same strategies as above to identify global companies in the beginning stages of their growth cycle, with accelerating growth characteristics and other improving fundamentals.

As one of the leaders in fixed income, CIBC Global Asset Management has extensive experience in liability driven investment solutions and manages over $17 billion in corporate credit. To meet increasing pension client demand to curb volatility and manage risk while enhancing yield, four new institutional bond pools have also been launched.

• The CIBC Canadian Bond 5, 15, & 30 Year Duration Pools have been created to deliver the performance of a blend of Government of Canada and Provincial Bonds of the specified durations.
  
  
• The CIBC Canadian Bond Corporate Investment Grade Pool seeks to provide yield enhancement by exceeding the DEX Universe Corporate Bond Index.

These pools complement our CIBC Canadian Bond Active Universe Pool which is performance ranked 1^st quartile over 1 and 2 years and 2^nd quartile over 3 and 4 years in eVestment Analytics as at September 30, 2011.

In addition, CIBC Global Asset Management has enhanced the CIBC Balanced Pool to a fund-of-funds structure, providing access to the range of underlying pools and benefitting from the insights of CIBC Global Asset Management's asset allocation team.  The pool's performance is ranked 1^st quartile over 1 and 2 years, and 2^nd quartile over 3 and 4 years in eVestment Analytics as at September 30, 2011.

These new and enhanced pools build upon CIBC Global Asset Management's current offer and our long history of managing assets on behalf of our clients.  For additional information see CIBC Global Asset Management.

CIBC Global Asset Management is one of Canada's leading asset managers with over $66 billion in assets and was recently named the fastest growing Canadian money manager at the 2011 Pension & Investment Awards. Assets under management include those under institutional money management for pension funds, endowments and insurance funds, and private wealth management, and those that are part of the CIBC family of mutual funds. CIBC Global Asset Management is part of the CIBC Wealth Management group.

CIBC (CM: TSX) (NYSE: CM) is a leading North American financial institution with nearly 11 million personal banking and business clients. CIBC offers a full range of products and services through its comprehensive electronic banking network, branches and offices across Canada, in the United States and around the world. You can find other news releases and information about CIBC in our Press Centre on our corporate website at cibc.com.

Kevin Dove, Senior Director, Communications and Public Affairs, 416-980-8835 or [email protected]