Equity markets have been unsteady while global interest rates remain near historic lows. Dislocation in the Eurozone, erratic news from China and uncertain Federal Reserve policy adds to the uncertainty in capital market outlooks. What are the most important capital market outcomes for pension plan financing? What should an actuary setting assumptions in this environment be considering? We’ll approach the subject by addressing these two primary issues:

• What’s a reasonable projection for the near-term outlook under these circumstances? Should interest rates be expected to begin their long-expected rise to more “normative” levels?

• Does it remain okay to refer to long-term trends for equity and fixed income returns, or are there reasons that the future will be just too different from the past?

Speakers