Funding levels for more than 100 reviewed retirement systems rose faster than liabilities, narrowing the combined gap to $160.7 billion from $176.9 billion.
Total assets of the funds for the city's firefighters, police officers, teachers, school administrators and civil servants grew to $160.5 billion, the highest ever to end a fiscal year.
New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer said the citys $148 billion pension funds withdrew shareholder requests that Jarden Corp. and Microchip Technology Inc. diversify after they appointed women to their boards.
Orange County, Californias $11.5 billion pension is putting together a fund open to smaller retirement plans to give them access to private-equity investments at a lower cost.
The American Federation of Teachers is urging public pensions to review investments with Chicago-based GTCR, a private-equity firm where Rauner was chairman before stepping down in 2012.