North Carolina Retirement Systems, Raleigh, returned 26.98% on its investments for the year ended March 31, confirmed spokeswoman Heather Franco.
The $68.7 billion fund's public equity portfolio, which represents 51.5% of total assets, was up 53.93% for the year ended March 31, a news release said. Fixed income, at 37.5% of total assets, was up 11.38% for the year.
The fund's alternatives portfolio, representing 4.7% of total assets, was up 8.05% for the 12 months ended March 31, while the fund's real estate portfolio, 4.3% of total assets, was down 21.97%, the news release said.
Janet Cowell, state treasurer and the systems' sole fiduciary, said in a news release that returns for the quarter ended March 31 were far lower than for the year, using as an example the fund's public equity portfolio, up only 4.95% for the first three months of 2010.
“While the numbers are up, returns have slowed in comparison to 2009 as the markets begin to flatten following the surge last year,” Ms. Cowell said in the release. “It is imperative that state and local leaders prepare for increased and sustained pension contributions in their budgets over the coming years in order to maintain a healthy pension fund.”
