Funded Status of U.S. Pensions Falls to 70.1 Percent in September, According to BNY Mellon

Lowest Funding Level in Five-Year History of Report

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Oct 05, 2011, 09:04 ET

BOSTON, Oct. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The funded status of the typical U.S. corporate pension plan in September fell 7.9 percentage points to 70.1 percent, the lowest level since BNY Mellon Asset Management began tracking this data in 2006.

For the month of September, assets for the typical corporate plan fell 4.5 percent and liabilities increased 6.2 percent, according the BNY Mellon Pension Summary Report for September. The asset decline reflected the third month in a row of falling equities, while the rise in liabilities was tied to the 40-basis-point decline of the Aa corporate discount rate to 4.54 percent, the report said.

Plan liabilities are calculated using the yields of long-term investment grade corporate bonds. Lower yields on these bonds result in higher liabilities.

"Concerns about the sluggish economy, the European sovereign debt issues and the U.S. budget issues have all contributed to growing investor pessimism," said Jeffrey B. Saef, managing director, BNY Mellon Asset Management, and head of the Investment Strategy & Solutions Group. "As a result, they continue to flee equities and other risky assets and have increased their allocations to Treasuries."

Saef noted that the rise in liabilities was muted by the widening of corporate spreads by 14 basis points. However, he added, "The funded status of corporate plans has fallen dramatically since June. With interest rates falling to historically low levels, a sustained rally in the equity markets will be needed for the funding levels to recover."

Notes to Editors:

BNY Mellon Asset Management is one of the world's leading asset management organizations, encompassing BNY Mellon's affiliated investment management firms and global distribution companies. Information about BNY Mellon Asset Management can be found at www.bnymellonam.com.

BNY Mellon is a global financial services company focused on helping clients manage and service their financial assets, operating in 36 countries and serving more than 100 markets. BNY Mellon is a leading provider of financial services for institutions, corporations and high-net-worth individuals, offering superior investment management and investment services through a worldwide client-focused team. It has $26.3 trillion in assets under custody and administration and $1.3 trillion in assets under management, services $11.8 trillion in outstanding debt and processes global payments averaging $1.7 trillion per day. BNY Mellon is the corporate brand of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE: BK). Additional information is available at www.bnymellon.com and through Twitter @bnymellon.

All information source BNY Mellon Asset Management as of June 30, 2011. This press release is qualified for issuance in the US only and is for information purposes only. It does not constitute an offer or solicitation of securities or investment services or an endorsement thereof in any jurisdiction or in any circumstance in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful or not authorized. This press release is issued by BNY Mellon Asset Management to members of the financial press and media and the information contained herein should not be construed as investment advice. Past performance is not a guide to future performance. A BNY Mellon Company(SM)

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