State and local pension assets increase.

• Position: News & Numbers

The assets held by state and local government pension funds increased by 5.5 percent in the last three months of 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, which reported that total holdings for the 100 largest public systems increased to $2.637 trillion in the last three months of 2010, from $2.499 trillion the previous quarter. The Census Bureau also reported that total holdings and investments increased by 7.6 percent over year-end 2009. Pension funds are still down from their peak value of $2.929 trillion at the end of 2007.

The increase was attributed to gains...