The Markets

In prior decades, international and emerging market stocks were good investments to get diversification for a retirement plan portfolio, but things have changed.

The ongoing recovery of the U.S. economy may be strengthened by six particular profit themes, says a new analysis.

The first quarter of 2014 saw very light pension rebalancing flows, but liability-driven investing (LDI) and de-risking strategies continue to pick up steam.

While retirement plan sponsors will find the market for getting into stable value funds has improved, the threat of rising interest rates poses a risk they need to...

In the two decades since target-date funds (TDFs) first entered plan investment menus, they’ve gained a reputation as a set-it-and-forget-it strategy that many experts oppose.

In 2013, a solid majority of multiemployer pension plans (59%) were in the green zone as defined by the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA).

The recording of a webcast on the distribution of liquid alternative mutual funds is now available to a select audience.

The Dietrich Pension Risk Transfer Index, which tracks the relative attractiveness of annuitizing pension liabilities, remained basically unchanged through February and into March.

For the United States, the estimated cost, as a percentage of accounting liability, of a retiree annuity purchase remained level during January at 108.5%, according to the Mercer...

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) of the Federal Reserve said in its March statement it will dump the 6.5% unemployment rate threshold to push forward rate guidance. 

The financial health of the largest U.S. corporate defined benefit (DB) pension plans improved during 2013, says a new analysis.

Even the best laid plans can go off track, and this is true for defined benefit plan portfolios.

A strong recovery in asset values and pension funding levels hasn’t slowed the pace of change in institutional investment portfolio strategies, according to an analysis from Greenwich Associates.

In a reversal of the past four months, participants of defined contribution (DC) retirement plans favored fixed-income investments in February, according to Aon Hewitt’s 401(k) Index.

Defined benefit plan sponsors have a window of opportunity to take action on pension risk.

The latest release of the Milliman Pension Funding Index, which tracks performance at the largest U.S. private pension plans, shows February brought moderate funded status improvements despite falling...

One retirement plan service provider says collective investment trusts (CITs) can be a powerful answer to demand for customized target-date vehicles and less expensive investment strategies.

The head of retirement at J.P. Morgan Asset Management says his firm is seeing considerable, yet largely unmet demand for guidance about withdrawals and spending in retirement.

The funded status of the typical U.S. corporate pension plan improved 1.7% in February to reach 92.6%, as most asset classes gained during the month.

Estimated funding levels of pension plans sponsored by S&P 1500 companies fell 2% in February to 87%.