RJ and Makay

Money managers and individual investors aren't the only ones benefitting from climbing equities markets and rising interest rates. Corporate pension plans are, too.

In January, rallying stocks and climbing interest combined to drive the funded status of U.S. corporate pension plans higher by 3.3%, on average, to 87.6%, according to a monthly report by BNY Mellon Asset Management. This is the fifth consecutive month of improvement and the funded status of corporate pensions is at its best level since October 2008, says BNY Mellon.