Tag: Markets

Alternative strategies have been successful in increasing the portfolio returns of institutions, as well as reducing investment risk, over the past 20 years.

Investors should expect strong equity market results through 2014, with the potential for real U.S. GDP growth to approach 5% in multiple quarters.

Putting a tilt on his 2013 forecast, Bob Doll of Nuveen Asset Management predicts a grind-higher economy and a muddle-through stock market for the year ahead. 

The funded status of U.S. corporate pension plans reached 95.2% in December 2013.

Interest in equities continued to grow through the end of 2013, especially with regard to retirement-based investments, year-end analysis shows.

Investment management firm T. Rowe Price closed its New Horizons Fund and Small-Cap Stock Fund to new investors, along with similar portfolios for institutional clients.

The funding ratio for corporate pension plans increased to 95% during the last quarter.

The pension funded status of the U.S.’s largest corporations jumped by 16 percentage points in 2013, year-end analysis shows.

Those in their early 20s carry just half the debt of those in their upper 20s, new analysis shows, but savings rates for both groups are decreasing.

Assets in 529 college savings plans continue to set yearly records, but growth in both the adviser-sold and direct-sold channels is slowing, research shows.

Invesco PowerShares, a provider of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), will change the names and underlying indexes of 10 ETFs.

The global economy is improving, inflation will stay moderate and equities will outshine bonds in 2014, say Merrill Lynch and U.S. Trust.

Defined contribution plan participants saw average daily transfer activity decline in November compared with October, according to the Aon Hewitt 401(k) Index.

The California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) earned a “AAA” grade from the Asset Owners Disclosure Project (AODP).

The cost of purchasing pension annuities from insurers increased to 108.4% of liabilities during November.

Improving stock markets and strong inflows helped investors in stock mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) earn nearly $2 trillion during 2013.

Even with strong capital market performance, many liability-driven investors decreased equity allocations this year in favor of fixed-income vehicles.

When it comes to determining a sustainable drawdown rate, everyone is searching for the right answer, says Gregg Fisher of Gerstein Fisher, an investment management firm.

Actively and passively managed funds can complement each other and allow investors to fill portfolios with the best investment opportunities, both within and across markets.

An analysis has found a fixed-income strategy that may work regardless of interest rate behavior, according to Principal Financial Group.