Retirement savers flee stocks as market slides

Over the past week, 401(k) participants have been trading much more than usual, moving from equities into fixed income and money funds.
FEB 08, 2018
By  Bloomberg

Retirement savers violated a cardinal rule of investing this past week: They sold into a plunging market. After racing into equities in January, they did an about-face as markets fell last Friday. Savers moved into money and fixed-income funds, trading at close to three times the norm, according to Alight Solutions' 401(k) Index. On Monday, when the Dow Jones industrial average plummeted 1,175 points, they repeated the pattern, this time trading at 12 times the typical pace. The next day, as the market recovered some losses, 401(k) savers kept selling stocks, trading at a rate of four times the usual. The last time trading reached 12 times the norm was on Aug. 8, 2011, when markets dropped on concerns about a global debt crisis. The index tracks daily moves of almost 2 million 401(k) participants with combined assets of more than $200 billion. (More: Retirement risks keep rising)

Latest News

No succession plan? No worries. Just practice in place
No succession plan? No worries. Just practice in place

While industry statistics pointing to a succession crisis can cause alarm, advisor-owners should be free to consider a middle path between staying solo and catching the surging wave of M&A.

Research highlights growing need for personalized retirement solutions as investors age
Research highlights growing need for personalized retirement solutions as investors age

New joint research by T. Rowe Price, MIT, and Stanford University finds more diverse asset allocations among older participants.

Advisor moves: RIA Farther hails Q2 recruiting record, Raymond James nabs $300M team from Edward Jones
Advisor moves: RIA Farther hails Q2 recruiting record, Raymond James nabs $300M team from Edward Jones

With its asset pipeline bursting past $13 billion, Farther is looking to build more momentum with three new managing directors.

Insured Retirement Institute urges Labor Department to retain annuity safe harbor
Insured Retirement Institute urges Labor Department to retain annuity safe harbor

A Department of Labor proposal to scrap a regulatory provision under ERISA could create uncertainty for fiduciaries, the trade association argues.

LPL Financial sticking to its guns with retaining 90% of Commonwealth's financial advisors
LPL Financial sticking to its guns with retaining 90% of Commonwealth's financial advisors

"We continue to feel confident about our ability to capture 90%," LPL CEO Rich Steinmeier told analysts during the firm's 2nd quarter earnings call.

SPONSORED How advisors can build for high-net-worth complexity

Orion's Tom Wilson on delivering coordinated, high-touch service in a world where returns alone no longer set you apart.

SPONSORED RILAs bring stability, growth during volatile markets

Barely a decade old, registered index-linked annuities have quickly surged in popularity, thanks to their unique blend of protection and growth potential—an appealing option for investors looking to chart a steadier course through today's choppy market waters, says Myles Lambert, Brighthouse Financial.