Global equity and real estate returns boosted Canadian pension plans despite fourth quarter volatility, according to the latest survey from RBC Investor Services.

Within the $410 billion RBC Investor & Treasury Services all plan universe, Canadian defined benefit (DB) pensions gained 2.5% in the quarter ending Dec. 31, 2012, compared to 3.2% in the third quarter. The median 2012 return for Canadian DB plans was 9.4%.

“With overall 2012 returns approaching double digits, Canadian defined benefit pension plans were able to breathe a little easier even with only modest returns in the fourth quarter,” says Scott MacDonald, head, pensions, insurance, and sovereign wealth strategy for RBC Investor Services.

“Continued stimulus by central banks in Europe, Japan and the U.S. offered hope for the global economy, while here in Canada lower global demand for commodities dampened Canadian equity returns. Despite this weakness, other contributing sectors finished the year strong, helping Canadian equity performance for the quarter to remain positive.”

Canadian equities returned 1.7% in the fourth quarter, bringing full year S&P/TSX performance up to 7.2%. Eight out of 10 sectors in the S&P/TSX Composite had positive gains in the fourth quarter, with consumer staples and information technology up 9.2% and 7.3% respectively. Financials continued to be a primary Canadian equity driver as the sector rose 6.3% in the quarter, ending the year up 17.6%.

Canadian pensions’ Canadian equity holdings returned 3.1% for the quarter, outperforming the S&P/TSX Composite by 1.4% as they were underweight in materials and slightly overweight in consumer staples and information technology.

Despite concerns over the European crisis, the U.S. election and weakening corporate earnings growth, Canadian dollar returns for the MSCI World was 3.7% for the quarter and 13.3% on the year. Canadian pensions outperformed the benchmark MSCI World index by 0.8% in the fourth quarter and 1.4% for 2012.

The real estate asset class also gave Canadian pensions a lift, delivering double digit returns in 2012.

Canadian DB plans matched the benchmark DEX Universe Bond Index, returning 0.3% for the fourth quarter but were able to outperform the benchmark on the year by 0.9%.

RBC Investor & Treasury Services, part of Royal Bank of Canada (TSX:RY), is a specialist provider of custody, payments and treasury services for financial and other institutional investors worldwide.