Waiting on the Fed

By Kerry Pechter
'The long end of the curve will stay stable but the front end of the curve will go up, so that we’ll have eventually have 2.5% at the short end and a long end between 2.5% and 3%,' predicted a BNP Paribas managing director recently. (Pictured: Janet Yellen.)

Beware the ‘Specialized’ ETFs

By Kerry Pechter
In this month's Research Roundup, RIJ shares four recent academic papers on the proliferation of ETFs, the danger (or not) of national debt, rational inflation expectations, and the impact of recent changes in RMD rules.

Jackson National Puts Its Future in Veteran Hands

By Kerry Pechter
Laura Prieskorn (left) and Marcia Wadsten are the new CEO and CFO of Jackson National Life. The leading seller of variable annuities in the US is in the process of demerging from its long-time British owner, Prudential plc.

Which ‘Dependency Ratio’ Should We Use?

By Kerry Pechter
Economists typically use the 'aged dependency ratio' to show the burden of the Social Security program on workers. But the 'total dependency ratio' might be more informative. (Photo by Johann Walter Bantz.)
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Jackson National Has a Growing Share of a Shrinking VA Market

By Editorial Staff
Historically, third-quarter sales have been soft for variable annuities. Declines from the second quarter have occurred in each of the last ten years and declines from the previous third quarter have occurred in each of the last four years.

Why Roofers Retire Earlier than Professors

By Kerry Pechter
To learn more about the link between physically demanding jobs and early retirement, researchers at the Center for Retirement Research developed a “Susceptibility Index” that assigns ratings to different occupations.
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