February 18th, 2025 Insight on Plan Design & Investment Strategy Every Weekday Benefits How Plan Sponsors Can Reevaluate Total Rewards in 2025 Employers can improve their offerings by enhancing the automatic 401(k) deferral rates and offering ‘must-have’ benefits to employees, according to a new Fidelity report. EVENTS 2025 PLANSPONSOR Roadmap Livestream: SECURE 2.0 - Student Loan Matching & More Register for Wednesday’s Session: Attendees will learn about the provision that permits matching participants’ student loan repayments and key considerations for implementing the feature, along with hearing about how other educational benefits affect employee recruitment and retention. Most Read Benefits Health Care Cost Control to Take Center Stage in 2026 Compliance House Passes Legislative Package Allowing CITs in 403(b) Retirement Plans  Ask the Experts Can an Employer Match Catch-Up Contributions? ECONOMIC EVENTS Thursday, the Department of Labor will issue its initial jobless claims report, and Freddie Mac will update average mortgage rates for the week. MARKET MIRROR Friday, the Dow fell 165.35 points (0.37%) to close at 44,546.08, the Nasdaq rose 81.13 points (0.41%) to close at 20,026.77 and the S&P 500 fell 0.44 points (0.01%) to close at 6,114.63. The Russell 2000 fell 2.20 points (0.10%) to close at 2,279.98, and the FT Wilshire 5000 Index fell 5.20 points (0.01%) to close at 61,386.58.  The 10-year Treasury note increased 26/32, bringing the yield to 4.479%. The 30-year Treasury bond decreased 1/32, bringing the yield to 4.699%. In the week ending February 14, the Dow rose 0.55%, the Nasdaq rose 2.58% and the S&P 500 rose 1.47%. The Russell 2000 rose 0.01%, and the FT Wilshire 5000 Index finished 1.28% higher. DEALS AND PEOPLE Retirement Industry People Moves The Standard names a regional vice president in retirement plans; Nationwide Retirement Solutions welcomes a consultant relations manager; ICI names a chief of staff; and more. PRODUCTS Product & Service Launches Vestwell unveils an emergency savings account offering; Corebridge Financial offers an enhanced digital experience for retirement plan participants; and more. SMALL TALK ON THIS DATE: In 1930, using a 13-inch telescope at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, Clyde W. Tombaugh, a 24-year-old American with no formal training in astronomy, discovered the dwarf planet Pluto. In 1933, Japanese artist and musician Yoko Ono, who became internationally famous as the wife and artistic partner of musician John Lennon, was born. In 2001, stock-car racer Dale Earnhardt, Sr., died from injuries suffered during a crash in the final lap of the Daytona 500. In 2006, speed skater Shani Davis became the first Black athlete to win an individual Winter Olympics gold medal when he placed first in the men’s 1,000-meter long-track final at the Games in Turin, Italy. In 2010, the website WikiLeaks began posting classified U.S. government documents provided by army intelligence analyst Bradley (later Chelsea) Manning; it was believed to be the largest unauthorized released of state secrets in U.S. history. In 2017, activist Norma McCorvey—the original plaintiff in the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling Roe v. Wade, which made abortion legal throughout the U.S.—died at age 69. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Sign up here to get NEWSDash directly in your mailbox! Unsubscribe | Manage Subscriptions | Contact Us Copyright ©2025 Asset International, Inc. All rights reserved. No reproduction without prior authorization. Modern Slavery Statement 2022 | Do Not Sell My Personal Information | Privacy (including cookies), Social Media & Legal 702 King Farm Boulevard, Suite 300, Rockville, MD 20850