The Markets

The term “retirement readiness” is all the buzz, but what does it really mean for plan participants?

Five years after passage of 403(b) plan regulations, sponsors are now looking beyond the 403(b) quick fix.

The Callan DC Index enjoyed a strong first quarter in 2012, returning 8.7%.

At the 2012 PLANSPONSOR National Conference, plan sponsor panelists shared their retirement plan success tactics, such as mandatory enrollment meetings and personalized communication.  

Total 529 college savings plan assets were an estimated $158.3 billion in Q1 2012, according to data from Financial Research Corporation (FRC), a division of Strategic Insight.

At a presentation about global investing in volatile times, Neuberger Berman portfolio managers offered insights about big pension plans, industry trends and markets around the world.

Targeted communication and easy enrollment mailers could improve defined contribution (DC) plan participant outcomes.

Small changes to a company’s 401(k) plan—including decreasing the eligibility waiting period or increasing the match—could encourage employees to set the bar higher.

Pension plan funding gains in the first quarter were wiped out in April and May, according to a report from Mercer. 

 Stable value funds continued to significantly outperform money market funds, according to a survey from the Stable Value Investment Association (SVIA).   

The institutional investor mindset toward real assets is shifting significantly, according to research.

 Financial advisers and institutional investors continue to use alternative investments, but the growth of their use has begun to slow. 

Institutional investors are increasingly turning to exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for a variety of fund management practices.

Financial advisers are increasingly turning to closed-end funds, especially for retirement income, a study by Aberdeen Asset Management found.

 Volatility is still a concern for individual investors, but they are willing to take on more risk, say advisers surveyed by Natixis Global Asset Management.   

Institutional investors are finding increasingly strategic uses for exchange-traded funds (ETFs), according to a study from Greenwich Associates.

Cohen & Steers released a white paper that discusses the merits of real assets—commodities, real estate and natural resources—in a defined contribution (DC) portfolio.

Sustainable investing has become of more interest to investors and plan sponsors.

 Investors put only $26.5 billion in net inflows into stock and bond mutual funds in the U.S. in April.     

The median return of BNY Mellon’s U.S. Master Trust Universe was 7.12% for the first quarter of 2012.