By Emily Hoyle Source: Plans Adviser Roaring equity markets fueled an April rebound for pension fund sponsors after the onset of war in the Middle East had rocked stock markets in March and had taken the funded levels of U.S. corporate defined benefit pensions down a notch. The funded status of the 100 largest U.S. corporate defined benefit plans increased from 105.9% at the end of March to 107.8% at the end of April, the highest mark observed since October 2007—when [...]

By Emily Boyle Source: Plan Sponsor U.S. corporate pension funding increased in June for the third consecutive month, as strong investment returns drove pension assets higher. The funded status of the 100 largest corporate defined benefit pension plans increased to 105.1% from 104.9% and improved by $3 billion in the month, according to Milliman’s June Pension Funding Index. In May, a decrease in liabilities, due to higher bond yields, drove up pension funding. In June, “liabilities actually increased because [...]

By Matt Toledo Source: Chief Investment Officer The largest U.S. corporate pension funds had a collective funding surplus last year for the first time since 2007, according to Milliman’s 2025 Corporate Pension Funding Study. Funding ratios of the Milliman 100 rose to 101.1% in fiscal year 2024, up from 98.5% in 2023. This is the first time these companies have had an average funding surplus since 2007, when that figure stood at 106%, before falling to 79% during the [...]