Ohio PERS earns 12.4% in 2004

Ohio Public Employees Retirement System, Columbus, returned 12.4% in 2004 and reported total assets of $64.5 billion as of Dec. 31. The fund also reported a cumulative two-year return of 41% in 2003 and 2004, the highest two-year gain for the fund in more than 20 years, said fund executives in a written statement. The gain was attributed to the strong performance of the market and the fund's willingness to stick to its "long-term investment approach," the statement said.