InvestorForce Plan Universes funds posted a median net return of -1.14% in the quarter ended Sept. 30. The median return gross of fees in the quarter was -1.03%.
Over the one-, three- and five-year periods, the universes had median net annualized returns of 8.4%, 8.8% and 11.4%, respectively.
During the quarter, the Russell 3000 stock index was flat (up 0.01%), the Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate bond index returned 0.17% and the MSCI ACWI IMI ex-U.S. dropped 5.3%.
Corporate defined benefit plans posted the highest net median return in the quarter (-0.98%), narrowly edging out Taft-Hartley DB plans by a single basis point. Public DB plans returned -1.38%, and endowments & foundations returned -1.58%.
Corporate DB plans also had the highest net median return for the five-year period at 9.6%, followed by Taft-Hartley DB plans, 9.5%; public DB plans, 9.1%; and endowments and foundations, 8.7%.
