Commodities, equities and real estate may be better choices
A cyclical tilt makes sense but comes with risk
Fellow life insurers Manulife and Sun Life also announced dividend hikes this month
OSFI's move to lift limits on capital returns marks a vote of confidence
The company increased its quarterly payment to shareholders by 20%
The firm also announced a plan to buy back up to 39 million shares
The central bank halted dividend hikes for lenders last March before loosening restrictions in December
Banks see few places to put their big profits other than back into the hands of their shareholders
Being clear about the dividend scale is part of the conversation
Decline slowed in Q1, and payouts are expected to grow as recovery builds