September 27th, 2024 Insight on Plan Design & Investment Strategy Every Weekday Benefits Improving Employees’ Financial Picture and Increasing Engagement In the latest edition of Plan Sponsors in Conversation, plan sponsors discussed the ways in which they ‘meet employees where they are’ with financial wellness programs. Benefits Employee Resource Groups Can Make Financial Wellness More Approachable, EBRI Panel Says Speakers at a webinar shared how the smaller cohorts can connect employees with resources that are most relevant to them.  Most Read Compliance Retirement Industry Mostly Applauds ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Investing Empower Responds to Warren, Urging Private Markets Inclusion in 401(k)s Benefits Defaulting Some DC Plan Assets Into Annuities Could Improve Income in Retirement ECONOMIC EVENTS In the week ending September 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 218,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week’s revised level of 222,000, the Department of Labor reported. The four-week moving average was 224,750, a decrease of 3,500 from the previous week’s revised average of 228,250. Interest on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.08% for the week ending September 26, down from last week when it averaged 6.09%, Freddie Mac reported. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 7.31%. Interest on a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.16%, up from last week when it averaged 5.15%. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 6.72%. MARKET MIRROR Thursday, the Dow rose 260.36 points (0.62%) to close at 42,175.11, the Nasdaq rose 108.09 points (0.60%) to close at 18,190.29 and the S&P 500 rose 23.11 points (0.40%) to close at 5,745.37. The Russell 2000 rose 12.42 points (0.57%) to close at 2,209.87, and the FT Wilshire 5000 Index rose 246.72 points (0.43%) to close at 57,457.46. The 10-year Treasury note decreased 1/32, bringing the yield to 3.800%. The 30-year Treasury bond increased 23/32, bringing the yield to 4.132%.  Investments Frontier of the New QDIAs How to best navigate the alternatives, keeping participants in mind. PRODUCTS Product & Service Launches Alight adds firms offering mental health, fertility support to partner network; BlackRock taps Vestmark for custom model portfolio partnership; and Altruist launches digital fixed-income trading for RIAs. SMALL TALK ON THIS DATE: In 1777, during the American Revolution, the Continental Congress, having fled Philadelphia, held a session in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, making the city the capital of the American colonies for one day. In 1918, British forces attacked the Hindenburg Line in the final offensive on the Western Front during World War I. In 1954, the landmark late-evening talk show and variety program “The Tonight Show” premiered with Steve Allen as host. In 1962, Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring” was published, and it became one of the most influential books in the modern environmental movement. In 1964, following months of investigation into the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, the Warren Commission released its findings that no evidence that either Lee Harvey Osward or Jack Ruby was part of any conspiracy, domestic or foreign, to assassinate the president. In 1996, the Taliban, led by Mohammad Omar, seized the capital city of Kabul, and declared an Islamic state. In 2008, Chinese astronaut Zhai Zhigang performed China’s first spacewalk. In 2019, a week of international climate change protests—led by youths, notably Swedish activist Greta Thunberg—ended, with millions having participated in the demonstrations. 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