The Markets

 The Aon Hewitt 401(k) Index pointed to continued participant uncertainty in September as daily transfer volumes remained significantly low compared with historical levels.  

To meet rising demand for Treasury inflation-protected securities (TIPS), BNP Paribas launched a fund that is being managed by FFTW.

Alternatives are increasingly being used across defined contribution (DC) plans as a risk-management strategy.

Investors added $16.5 billion to long-term open-end funds in September, according to Morningstar Inc.

Friends Fiduciary Corporation (FFC), which manages assets for U.S. Quakers, has divested from three companies because of concerns about ties with the Israeli military.

In September, mutual fund investors continued to seek income and safety in bond funds, which gained another $32 billion for the month.

A white paper from Rocaton Investment Advisors suggests market conditions combined with recently passed pension funding relief justifies a new look at liability-driven investment (LDI) strategies.

The Dietrich Pension Risk Transfer Index, which tracks the relative attractiveness of annuitizing pension liabilities, increased for the second month.

According to BNY Mellon, the funded status of U.S. corporate pensions increased for the second straight month to 75%, the first two-month winning streak since February.

The list of companies offering lump sum payments to help manage pension plan liability continues to grow, with Equifax as the latest addition.

The aggregate deficit in pension plans sponsored by S&P 1500 companies decreased $38 billion during September, to $593 billion, according to figures from Mercer.

 The Taylor Xplor Managed Futures Strategy Fund was unveiled by Taylor Alternative Mutual Funds, providers of alternative investment strategies. 

Vanguard announced new benchmark indices for 22 of its index funds.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced an historic $2.43 billion settlement in a class-action lawsuit with Bank of America (BofA).

The majority of investors view tail-risk management as an important part of their investment plans, but barriers remain for adopting risk-mitigation strategies.

North American investor confidence continued to decline this month, according to State Street Global Markets.

Three in four U.S. institutional investors (74%) have changed their approach to risk management over the past five years.

Defined contribution plan participants transferred assets from equities into fixed-income investments again in August, according to the Aon Hewitt 401(k) Index.

New research from Morningstar quantifies how much additional retirement income, or “gamma,” investors can generate by making better financial planning decisions. 

Advisers can help clients by understanding how their emotions influence investment choices, according to panelists at an American Beacon Advisors event.