Pension Funding Levels Drop Globally in 2011

Towers Watson said the drop is due to declining discount rates and disappointing asset returns.

Although the fourth quarter of 2011 experienced generally positive asset returns, the beneficial impact was largely offset by continuing declines in discount rates. As a result, overall movements in the Pension Index for the quarter were relatively small and mixed, ranging from a fall of 2.7% in the U.K. to a 4.4% increase in the U.S.

The Towers Watson Pension Index is a measure of funded ratio based on the projected benefit obligation (PBO) for a benchmark pension plan. The Pension Index is tracked across seven markets: Brazil, Canada, the Euro-zone, Japan, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the U.S.

“In recent years, defined benefit pension plans have been doubly hit by unfavorable asset performance and declining interest rates,” said Christine Farmer, senior international consultant. “And 2011 was no exception. We expect these economic trends to cause employers to continue to evaluate their overall retirement benefit plan risk management strategies.”

Of the seven markets, the Canadian Index had the largest decrease, declining by approximately 16% for the year. The U.S. registered the next-largest decrease, at nearly 12%. 

“In the U.S., a positive fourth quarter investment return reversed much of the third quarter’s losses, but was not enough to offset the effect of the continuing decline in bond yields over the year,” said Jerry Mingione, senior retirement consultant. “Both corporate and government yields ended the year at near-historic lows, in part due to government interventions designed to stimulate the economy, causing problematically high liability growth.”

The U.K. Index also dropped significantly, by almost 9%. Asset returns were positive over the year; however, discount rates, which had been close to flat for the first three quarters, declined significantly in the fourth quarter.

For more information, visit towerswatson.com/newsletters/pension-finance-watch.