Retirement

Employers strongly are opposed to state-run retirement plans for private companies, such as those proposed in California and Massachusetts, according to a new report by the Retirement Advisor Council.

Health insurance stocks were mixed Monday as investors and analysts await final word from the federal government on Medicare Advantage rates for 2014.

Unemployment rates fell in 22 U.S. states in February from January, a sign that hiring gains are benefiting many parts of the country.

While only 18 percent of employees participate in advisory services through their 401(k) plans, they report having a more positive outlook about their retirement plans as opposed to those who do not, according to the Mercer Workplace Survey.

The Maine Small Business Coalition has released a report that shows 39 percent of the state's small-business owners are older than 55 and increasingly reliant on social programs such as social security and Medicare.

As more than 60 percent of employers are examining their long-term plans for retiree health strategies, plan sponsors as well as retirees could find value and cost savings with retiree health exchanges.