The Markets

October saw seven days of “moderate” or “high” trading activity within workplace 401(k) accounts—the most days of elevated trading volume since May 2013, according to Aon Hewitt.

Finding yield remains a top consideration for investors choosing fixed-income investments, according to a new survey from Franklin Templeton Investments.

The outsourced chief investment officer (OCIO) search is a formidable task even for experienced retirement plan committees, says Ronald Klotter, managing director of Strategic Investment Group.

Alternative assets skyrocketed over six years, from $83 billion at the end of 2008, to $304 billion in mid-2014, according to Strategic Insight.

In an effort to diversify their portfolios, institutions are making sizable investments in real assets and are planning to increase their level of activity next year, according to...

Measuring risk tolerance is critical, say experts in the field of risk tolerance and decisionmaking, but few retirement plan sponsors and advisers in the U.S. do it correctly.

Worldwide, exchange-traded fund (ETF) assets fell in September to $2.6 trillion, as all major regions excluding Canada saw a slight decline in assets.

Adding a 10% real estate exposure to defined contribution retirement plan portfolios can enhance the risk-return outlook and dampen volatility for participants, a new study suggests.

Automatic enrollment has been shown to increase the number of employees who save in their employer-sponsored defined contribution plan.

Confidence has returned among institutional investors worldwide, according to a survey by Pyramis Global Advisors.

The use of sustainability ratings can improve the risk-return ratio of investments in corporate bonds, according to Oekom Research’s new Corporate Bonds Study.

After an especially quiet nine-month start for 2014, the first half of October saw a major upswing in 401(k) participant trading activity, according to Aon Hewitt.

Long-term mutual funds experienced net outflows of $900 million in September, according to Strategic Insight (SI), an Asset International Company.

While all of the major asset classes suffered losses during the month of September, Aon Hewitt’s...

Does choosing only low-cost, passive investments for retirement plan fund menus optimize the outcomes for participants?

“There is a new financial era. Accept it and modify your behavior accordingly, so that your future is safe, secure, and you look forward to a brighter tomorrow,”...

Plan sponsors should not be upset by outflows from the Total Return Fund and the abrupt departure of Bill Gross, PIMCO’s lead portfolio manager, sources say.

With 25 years in the investment industry, Tim McCabe has participated firsthand in the dramatic rise of the defined contribution retirement system.

Russell Investments says global, multi-asset active management will best serve long-term retirement investors as the low-growth, low-inflation, low-rate environment persists into the fourth quarter of 2014.

Outsized redemptions from PIMCO’s $221.6 billion flagship fund are a concern for retirement plan advisers, sponsors and participants.