Showing entries from 2021.
01
Mar 2021Market Moves: Mach 1, 2021
The U.S. equity markets were down last week, with the Dow Jones, S&P 500 and NASDAQ posting losses of 1.70%, 2.41%, and 4.90%, respectively. With optimism surrounding the slowing of COVID-19 cases, new vaccine rollout, and the House’s passage of a $1.9 trillion stimulus bill, there is concern about …
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Feb 2021403(b) Retirement Plan Fee Litigation: February 2021 Update
As the pandemic wears on, existing 403(b) retirement plan fee litigation has seen a decline in activity. Nevertheless, there have been a some significant updates. We share a recap of the recent litigation activity in this month's article.
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Feb 2021Chart of the Month: Inflation Expectations Break Out to Multi-Year Highs
Source: Federal Reserve Board of St. Louis Market Observations The bond market is telling investors that inflation is coming. Inflation expectations, as measured by the breakeven inflation rate, have risen to their highest level in nearly a decade. The breakeven rate, which captures the differen…
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Feb 2021Market Moves: February 22, 2021
The U.S. equity markets delivered mixed results last week, with the Dow Jones Index posting a slight gain of 0.2% and the S&P 500 and NASDAQ posting losses of 0.7% and 1.5%, respectively. While stimulus hopes and growth optimism have dominated price action in recent weeks, the focus of the marke…
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Feb 2021Market Moves: February 16, 2021
U.S. equity markets continue to march higher, with the major indices posting weekly gains of 1.1% and 1.7%. Promising earnings results and the reassurance that monetary and fiscal policy will continue to support the economy and the markets continue to underpin stock prices. Here are some other insig…
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Feb 2021Market Moves: February 8, 2021
The U.S. stock markets recovered quickly from last week’s decline, with many of the major indices climbing to new all-time highs. The market’s recovery was driven by strong corporate earnings, the expectation that the new Biden administration may be able to pass its $1.9 trillion stimulus bill witho…
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Feb 2021Market Moves: February 1, 2021
The U.S. equity markets ended last week lower as a “flash mob” of retail investors rocked the market, causing headaches for several well-known hedge funds. While regulators and investors try to digest what this new dynamic means for the markets, the volatility and unusual price moves in a handful of…
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Jan 2021Chart of the Month: U.S. Yield Curve Steepens to Widest Level Since 2017
In the first few weeks of 2021, longer maturity Treasuries have jumped due to the prospect of new stimulus, while shorter maturity bond yields have remained anchored by the Fed’s zero interest rate policy. What does this steepening of the yield curve mean for retirement plan investors?
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Jan 20212021 403(b) Retirement Plan Compliance Calendar
The 2021 Retirement Plan Compliance Calendar highlights critical compliance deadlines for defined contribution retirement plans. While all major dates are included, some may only apply to particular plan types (and are noted accordingly) and there may be additional deadlines for specific plans that …
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Jan 2021DOL Tips to Address Missing Participants
Missing participants have long been the scourge of retirement plan sponsors. The recent DOL guidance expanded on enforcement to include action steps on how plan sponsors can avoid or overcome the challenge of missing participants. We explore.
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