State of Wisconsin Investment Board, Madison, reported a 15.6% preliminary return for the Wisconsin Retirement System's core fund, according to a statement from the SWIB, which manages assets of the WRS.
The $76 billion core fund, which has diversified holdings in domestic and international stocks, bonds, loans, real estate and private equity, outperformed its customized benchmark of 14.6%. That compares with an 8.5% return in 2005, outperforming the benchmark return of 8%. The core fund's five-year annual average return was 9.9%, compared with a benchmark return of 9.5%; its 10-year annual average return was 9.2%, compared with a benchmark return of 8.6%.
The system's $7.1 billion variable fund, invested entirely in domestic and international equities, had a preliminary return of 17.6% for 2006, tying its customized benchmark. That compares with a return of 8.2% in 2005, outperforming the benchmark return of 8%. The variable fund's five-year annual average return was 8.3%, compared with a benchmark return of 8.8%; its 10-year average annual return was 8.7%, compared with a benchmark return of 8%. About 20% of the retirement system's 533,000 members participate in the voluntary variable fund.
