BNY Mellon Asset Management says that U.S. pension plans are better funded mid-year 2008 than they were at the beginning of the year, due largely to a rise in equity markets and higher bond yields. The typical U.S. pension plan gained 3.2% in its funded status, when compared to the beginning of 2008. Assets for the typical, moderate-risk pension plan increased 0.8%, and liabilities declined 2.4%, says the report.
"For the first time in 2008, the typical moderate risk pension plan experienced an improvement in funded status," said Peter Austin, executive director of BNY Mellon Pension Services. "Improving investor confidence helped the stock market, while higher oil prices and the apparent end of Fed easing drove bond yields higher. While this is good news for plan sponsors, we expect a continuation of funded status volatility over the course of 2008."
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