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February 19th, 2025
Insight on Plan Design & Investment Strategy Every Weekday
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| MARKET MIRROR |
Tuesday, the Dow rose 10.26 points (0.02%) to close at 44,556.34, the Nasdaq rose 14.49 points (0.07%) to close at 20,041.26 and the S&P 500 rose 14.95 points (0.24%) to close at 6,129.58. The Russell 2000 rose 10.37 points (0.45%) to close at 2,290.35, and the FT Wilshire 5000 Index rose 165.05 points (0.27%) to close at 61,551.63.
The 10-year Treasury note decreased 28/32, bringing the yield to 4.555%. The 30-year Treasury bond decreased 1 1/32, bringing the yield to 4.767%.
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ON THIS DATE: In 1881, Kansas became the first U.S. state to include the prohibition of alcoholic beverages in its state constitution. In 1942, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the executive order allowing the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. In 1945, during the final phases of World War II, U.S. Marines invaded Iwo Jima so as to wrest control of the strategically important island from the Japanese, who put up fierce resistance in the ensuing battle. In 1997, Deng Xiaoping, who introduced economic reforms to China in 1978, died at age 92. In 2008, Fidel Castro formally resigned as president of Cuba; he was succeeded by his brother Raúl. In 2016, author Harper Lee—who was revered for her first novel “To Kill a Mockingbird”—died at age 89. In 2019, German fashion designer and photographer Karl Lagerfeld—the creative power behind the modern revival of Chanel, the legendary French fashion house founded by Coco Chanel in the early 20th century—died in Paris.
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| Industry Intel Roundup—Featured Webinars | | PLANSPONSOR is pleased to present the next edition of our Industry Intelligence roundup. This week, we are featuring webinars sponsored by experienced providers in the industry. The content was created to educate, inform and offer ideas for plan sponsors regarding plan design, investing, administration and compliance. |  | | SPONSORED BY: MetLife | March 3, 2026 | | Paycheck or Pot of Gold? Helping Participants Navigate the Decumulation Dilemma | | In this webinar, you’ll discover how defined contribution plan participants are navigating the decumulation dilemma— taking their accumulated savings as a paycheck (i.e., an annuity) or a perceived “pot of gold” (i.e., a lump sum). We’ll share key findings from MetLife’s 2026 Paycheck or Pot of Gold Study, which show how quickly lump sums are being depleted and, in contrast, the high levels of satisfaction among annuitants. Whether you already enable your plan participants to convert their DC savings into guaranteed lifetime income – or are considering it – you won’t want to miss this webinar. ● Hear how pre-retirees and retirees are navigating the challenge of making their savings last ● Learn about employers’ growing interest in guaranteed lifetime income solutions from the industry's market leader ● Understand how you can shape successful retirement outcomes for your plan participants |
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|  | | August 18, 2026 | | DB Plan Administration | | Besides findings from PLANSPONSOR’s annual Defined Benefit Administration Survey, our panel will discuss trends in the defined benefit plan sector. Speakers will also talk about ongoing management of DB plans—whether closed, frozen or active—and benchmarking DB plan providers. With many corporate DB plans now overfunded, the panel will also discuss ways that sponsoring companies can use their plan’s surplus. |
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| | | November 18, 2026 | | Understanding Participant Behavior | | The PLANSPONSOR Participant Survey examines the attitudes and behaviors of American workers participating—or not—in an employer-sponsored retirement plan. We’ll explore findings about respondents’ participation and saving decisions, retirement expectations and most-valued benefits. Speakers will suggest what the findings mean for retirement plan design, benefit offerings and participant engagement. |
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| | | January 28, 2026 | | Benchmarking Your Plan: Using Data to Stay Competitive | | In this webinar, you’ll discover how benchmarking can transform your retirement plan into a powerful tool for attracting and retaining talent. We’ll highlight key findings from the PLANSPONSOR Defined Contribution Survey and show how benchmarking drives smarter plan design decisions.
Hear real-world examples and advisor insights on improving plan competitiveness and employee outcomes. Find out why benchmarking matters, what to look for, and how to put these strategies into action. |
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|  | | SPONSORED BY: ACI | December 16, 2025 | | Retirement Realities – What Sponsors May Be Missing | | What do plan sponsors believe about retirement readiness, and how does that compare to what participants actually feel? During this webinar, Glenn Dial, Senior Retirement Strategist at American Century Investments, will unpack the findings from the firm’s 12th Annual Retirement Survey. He’ll explore where sponsor and participant perspectives align – and where they diverge – on key issues like savings confidence, market risk, and retirement income expectations. Glenn will also touch on the evolving role of target date funds (TDFs) and how guaranteed income is being viewed in today’s defined contribution landscape. This session is designed to help retirement professionals better understand the sentiment gaps and take action to close them.
What You’ll Learn:
Fresh insights from the 2025 Retirement Survey.
Key disconnects between plan sponsors and participants.
Perspectives on market risk, TDFs, and retirement income.
Strategic considerations for plan design and communication
Whether you're a plan sponsor, advisor, or industry stakeholder, this webinar will help you rethink how retirement plans can better serve the people they're built for. |
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