TORONTO -- Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan earned a return of 3.2 per cent on its investments for the first six months of this year.

The gain increased the pension fund's net assets to $193.9 billion as of June 30, up $4.4 billion from the end of 2017.

The fund says that while financial markets have stabilized, volatility will likely continue amid global trade tensions, rising energy prices and geopolitical tensions.

Chief investment officer Ziad Hindo says returns in the first half of the year were driven mainly by the performance of the equity asset classes, both public and private, and the inflation-sensitive asset class -- which

includes commodities, natural resources and investments that provide protection against inflation.

Ontario Teachers' invests and administers the pensions for Ontario's 323,000 active and retired teachers.