NYS Common Retirement Fund up nearly 6% in latest quarter

ALBANY —The New York State Common Retirement Fund’s estimated return in the quarter ending June 30 was 5.82 percent, according to New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. The fund ended the quarter with an estimated value of $268.3 billion.

“The financial markets remain strong, as industry sectors and companies recover and adapt to the pandemic,” DiNapoli said in a release. “We continue to seek prudent investments and manage the state pension fund to be able to withstand additional economic disruptions and unpredictable market swings. We are one of the best funded retirement systems in the nation because we look ahead and manage risk.”

The fund’s estimated value reflects benefits of $3.52 billion paid out to retirees and beneficiaries during the quarter. Its audited value as of fiscal-year end on March 31, was $258.1 billion and the annual return was 33.55 percent.

As of June 30, the fund had 53.68 percent of its assets invested in publicly traded equities. The remaining fund assets by allocation are invested in cash, bonds, and mortgages (21.96 percent); private equity (11.21 percent); real estate and real assets (7.96 percent); and credit, absolute return strategies, and opportunistic alternatives (5.19 percent).