The five new CoRI Funds may appeal to near-retirees who currently have a lot of money in bond funds and are afraid that those funds will lose value as interest rates rise. The funds could, in theory, could protect them from sequence-of-returns risk.

The Fed should adjust its rhetoric and, if necessary, its policies to reflect the fact that its actions disproportionately affect other countries, with repercussions on the US economy, writes the noted UC-Berkeley political economist.

Economist Robert J. Gordon of Northwestern disagrees with the “techno-optimists” who believe that the U.S. is on the cusp of a surge in technological change. He thinks we’re already well into an innovation slowdown.

"Regulatory convergence and complexity are commanding insurer attention and resources. Fragmented economic growth is creating new pockets of growth, while challenging established markets," says Conning's 2014 U.S. and Global Insurance Industry Outlook.

“Advice source consolidation begins three to four years ahead of retirement, heats up during the retirement event and continues the first three to four years of retirement,” said the Boston-area firm's latest study. (Photo: H&W's Laura Varas).

Collective Defined Contribution (CDC), a hybrid of DB and DC with centrally managed assets and a variable income stream, may be the next big thing in the UK retirement industry.

The MetLife-Rothesay deal, still subject to regulatory approval, will move around £3bn (€3.7bn and $5.1 billion) in assets between the insurers.