The Markets

Baby Boomer women face challenges unprecedented in retirement planning, according to the Women’s Institute for a Secure Retirement (WISER).

Total U.S. retirement assets were $17.9 trillion as of December 31, 2011, up 4.9% in the fourth quarter of 2011 and about unchanged for the year.

National Retirement Planning Week 2012, which takes place Monday through Friday, will focus on Social Security and Baby Boomers' retirement readiness.

The 100 largest defined benefit (DB) pension plans experienced a $58 million improvement in funding in March. 

Institutional investment managers are increasingly optimistic about the U.S. economy, but remain concerned about macro risks such as the European debt crisis. 

The best possible target-date fund performance is critical to those saving for retirement.  

New research shows that most investors ages 21 to 50 are generally familiar with the tax advantages of IRAs and have used them to save for retirement.

Morningstar Inc. launched three Morningstar Ultimate Stock-Pickers Indexes.

Investment managers currently view the markets as a “risk-on” opportunity, a survey found.

How communications are framed is known to influence how readers respond to them.

Inflation affects different types of investors in different ways. 

Only 22% of Americans say they are saving for retirement by contributing to an individual retirement account (IRA), according to a survey released by TIAA-CREF.

Assets in target-date funds (TDFs) grew to $380 billion by year-end 2011 and are targeted to reach $1.1 trillion in 2016.  

Forty-eight percent of plan sponsors who are not fully bundled indicate they would be open to bundling their retirement plans if convinced of the benefits. 

Private equity, hedge funds and real estate will drive a combined 20% of all manager search activity in the U.S. 

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reemphasized its recommendation that the Department of Labor (DoL) provide guidance for defined benefit (DB) plans that invest in alternatives.

According to J.P. Morgan Asset Management’s 2012 market predictions, areas of concern for investors in 2011 have been some of the best-performing areas so far this year.

The Callan DC Index bounced back from a disappointing third quarter to post a gain of nearly 7% in the fourth quarter of 2011. 

An analysis of Fidelity-administered accounts reveals how much more retirement savings are accumulated for investors with both an individual retirement account (IRA) and 401(k).