Here are the top reads on deals and financial services over the last 24 hours,
FINANCIAL SERVICES NEWS
Mortgage processor Filogix hacked amid surge in loan requests: A major mortgage processing system in Canada was hit by a cyberattack last week, temporarily halting loan applications from brokerages already under immense pressure after the central bank slashed interest rates. (Rachelle Younglai)
Brookfield Asset Management shifting investment focus to publicly traded debt, stocks as markets tumble: Brookfield Asset Management Inc. chief executive officer Bruce Flatt says his company is moving away from private assets and buying publicly traded debt and stocks – including its own – in the recent market carnage. (David Milstead)
TD Waterhouse faces $4-million fine over improper disclosures, raising questions of potential systemic problems: A regulatory panel has ordered TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. to pay a $4-million fine for disclosure errors in the quarterly statements of 175,000 client accounts, raising concerns about “possible systemic weakness” in the investment firm’s governance systems. (Greg McArthur)
Companies raise financing in bid to solidify financial health: For companies forced to sell stock in markets gripped by a pandemic, the cure could be almost as bad as the disease. The corporate world is beginning to split into two groups: strong companies that can continue to borrow money and debt-heavy businesses that are losing access to credit markets. Analysts are starting to consider how highly leveraged companies will raise money in sectors that have been hit hard by COVID-19, such as cruise lines, oil and gas producers, hotels and retail chains. (Andrew Willis)
Canada Life halts redemptions on real estate investment funds: Canada Life Assurance Co. has temporarily halted all investor activity on its Canadian real estate funds as the novel coronavirus rattles global property markets. (Clare O’Hara)
Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan posts gains in 2019: The Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan posted a 17.1 per cent return in 2019, pushing it close to $100-billion in assets and keeping the primary pension for Ontario health-care workers with significantly more assets than needed to pay its future benefits. (David Milstead)
DEALS NEWS: MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS, IPOs and FINANCINGS
Britain’s Endeavour buying Canadian gold miner Semafo as COVID-19 inflicts growing damage on mining sector: Britain’s Endeavour Mining Corp. plans to acquire Canadian gold miner Semafo Inc. in a friendly deal worth $1-billion as an increasing cadre of global mining companies pare back operations and conserve cash with the COVID-19 pandemic worsening. (Niall McGee)
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