Want the latest retirement plan adviser news and insights? Sign up for PLANADVISER newsletters.
The Markets January 26, 2011
State Street Universe Sees 5% Q410 Increase
The median return of the State Street Universe (SSU) of total plans
rose 5.3% in the fourth quarter of 2010, according to the State Street Corporation.
Reported by Fred Schneyer
The universe earned 12.4% for the year ended December 31, 2010, the company reported.
In 2010, master trust funds greater than $1 billion returned 12.7%, slightly higher than smaller master trust funds, which returned 12.2%. Taft Hartley plans were up 13.6%, with the highest returns for the year ending December 31, 2010, while Corporate Plans gained 13.1%. Taft Hartley Plans also had the highest returns in the fourth quarter, up 6.1%. Endowments & Foundations trailed behind the other funds, rising 12.4%.
“Master Trusts posted strong gains in 2010 following the robust recovery in 2009 and are coming close to recovering the losses experienced in 2008. Funds with higher exposure to equities did best as both U.S. and foreign equities continued to perform well,” said William Pryor, senior vice president and head of State Street Investment Analytics.
The SSU consists of funds custodied at State Street and funds provided by the Independent Consultants Cooperative (ICC). It includes the total plans of a wide range of plan sponsors and the individual funds that comprise each plan. The approximately 19,000 portfolios in the State Street Universe constitute a combined asset value of nearly $2 trillion.