The majority of Swiss pension funds have pulled themselves back into safe territory thanks to rising markets and cuts to payouts last year, according to new research. The news comes after Dutch pension schemes also posted a strong recovery in 2009.

Over 80% of Swiss private pension funds' assets outweighed their liabilities at the end of 2009, with funds posting an average 103% funding ratio, according to a survey by Swiss asset manager Swisscanto. The increase came on the back of rising markets and austerity measures taken by the funds, which posted an average ratio of 97% a year ago, prompting almost half of the funds to put forward recovery plans with regulators.