Despite improving conditions in the equity market, pension liabilities...

Despite improving conditions in the equity market, pension liabilities outpaced pension assets by 0.47% for 2004 through Nov. 30, according to figures from Ryan Labs. Assuming pension assets do not dramatically improve over liabilities in December, the percentage will be down for the year from 2003, when pension assets outperformed liabilities by 18.08%. Ryan Labs determines the average funding status by comparing its liability index return to the return of an aggregate portfolio invested in the Lehman Aggregate Bond, S&P 500, MSCI EAFE and Ryan Cash indexes.