http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE50742S20090108

Excerpt:
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Volatile markets have saddled U.S. companies with a $409 billion
deficit on pension plans, reversing a $60 billion surplus a year
earlier, and will cut into earnings in 2009, consulting firm Mercer said.

As of December 31, pension plans among members of the Standard &
Poor's 1500 had $1.21 trillion of assets and $1.62 trillion of
liabilities, Mercer said in a report released on Wednesday. At the end
of 2007, pension plan assets totaled $1.66 trillion and liabilities
totaled about $1.6 trillion, Mercer said.

The S&P 1500 is a broad portfolio representing large-cap, mid-cap and
small-cap segments of the U.S. equity markets.

The shortfall suggests that more companies will have to pump cash into
their pension plans to ensure they can meet their commitments to retirees.
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