Investing

New research from Cerulli Associates argues managed accounts and target-date funds each have distinct roles to play on the retirement plan investment menu. 

Corporate ERISA plans had the best performance in the quarter.

In addition, nearly six in 10 recently hired plan participants invested in target-date funds.

The asset-weighted average net expense ratio of all U.S. funds was 0.61% in 2015, down from 0.64% in 2014 and 0.73% five years ago, according to Morningstar data.

While investment managers surveyed by Northern Trust feel confident about economic prospects in the U.S., some worries persist about global performance. 

Passive funds continued to drive the strongest inflows, according to Strategic Insight. 

The index is the basis for the Endowment Collective Investment Fund (CIF), used by DC plans.

Declining interest rates were a main driver for the negative change in funding ratios.

Institutional investors are increasingly using factor investing, which takes into account economic growth, inflation and volatility, among other things.

Retirement plan consultants say that active management is important for most major asset classes.

A plan presented to the State Investment Council suggests the public fund should re-allocate hedge fund money into a 60/40 mix of publicly traded U.S. stocks and bonds.

“Industry-wide averages can be misleading, and may be doing investors a disservice by giving them the perception that all active funds cannot outperform passive funds, which is simply...

Aging populations worldwide will create investment opportunities for institutional investors.

Passive stock and bond funds netted $19.9 billion in inflows in February.

JP Morgan researchers suggest 7% or 8% annual return assumptions have very little chance of holding out in coming years and decades.

The public fund giant says VW’s purposeful deception in defeating air quality controls on millions of diesel vehicles polluted the environment and threatens the company’s long-term shareholder value.

The first month of 2016 was not an enjoyable time for investors—with net redemptions from long-term mutual funds and ETFs topping $8 billion.

Today’s forward-looking institutions are seeking more than “pure beta,” responding to market volatility with a refreshed look at more active investing philosophies. 

With interest rates expected to rise, should retirement plan sponsors make changes to bond investment choices?

Positive fourth-quarter performance was not enough to pull target-date funds out of negative territory, according to the Callan Target Date Index.