Investing

A new report from CEM Benchmarking claims to have settled, at least in part, the active versus passive investing debate for defined benefit pension plan sponsors.

All plan types had a median return of 1.70% in Q4 2014.

The nation’s largest public pension funds will receive damages for losses on investments improperly rated by Standard and Poor’s.

All plan types in the Northern Trust Universe had annual gains of 5% or greater in 2014.

The General Board of Pension and Health Benefits of The United Methodist Church has adopted new investment guidelines.

A majority of institutional asset managers surveyed by Cerulli Associates have received client requests for socially and environmentally responsible investing mandates.

The 2014 NACUBO-Commonfund Study of Endowments reveals higher education institutions were highly invested in alternatives.

Rapid growth in exchange-traded fund assets is causing significant change at asset management firms, including many managers serving retirement plan markets.

The SEC has charged Standard & Poor’s with fraudulent ratings conduct related to ratings of mortgage-backed securities.

A PIMCO Total Return Fund investor lawsuit calls into question compensation paid to former co-chief investment officers and co-chief executive officers Mohamed El-Erian and Bill Gross.

Equities captured the majority of fund inflows in 2014.

Mergers and acquisitions among health care organizations continue to affect not-for-profit health care organizations and their retirement plan investing decisions.

In 2015, the question for defined benefit plan sponsors will not just be, “What will interest rates do?”

Retirement investors and pension funds have not had to wait very long to test their 2015 portfolio strategies against increased volatility and fluctuating asset prices.

The use of ETFs in 401(k) plans has been slow to catch on, but some still believe it will happen.

Given relatively expensive domestic equity market valuations and historically low developed market interest rates, institutional investors are increasingly looking for return outside the United States.

While institutional investors are optimistic about equities in 2015, their outlook is tempered by market risks that are difficult to predict and control.

November inflows totaled nearly $53 billion for stock and bond funds, according to Strategic Insight’s monthly fund review.

A recent deal between Northwestern Mutual and the London Stock Exchange Group brings more than $9 trillion in benchmarked assets under one roof.

Major changes are occurring in the fixed-income markets that are driving asset managers to position clients against volatility and future rate tightening, according to Cerulli Associates.