NOTABLEOn August 26, 2026, Principal Financial Group announced it is opening its U.S. retirement plan business to private markets, saying it will collaborate with asset managers including Blackstone, Ares, KKR and Partners Group, along with trust companies and fiduciaries, to launch a suite of collective investment trusts (CITs) for U.S. retirement plans that combine public and private strategies. The move follows the executive order issued a year earlier that opened the door to alternative investments in 401(k) accounts.source → https://alternativecreditinvestor.com/2026/08/26/principal-opens-401k-plans-to-private-markets/

NOTABLEPrincipal expanded its Featured Partner Program to support private market access inside U.S. retirement plans, letting investment managers use Principal's products and recordkeeping capabilities for CIT-based target-date and target-risk funds, managed accounts and other asset allocation services. Participating private market managers listed include AllianceBernstein, Apollo, Ares, Blackstone, Blue Owl, Carlyle, Franklin Templeton, Goldman Sachs, KKR, Morgan Stanley Investment Management, Neuberger, Partners Group, PGIM and Principal Asset Management.source → https://www.fintechlaunches.com/announcements/principal-featured-partner-program-private-market-access-retirement-plans/