pension plan assets pension assets include public equities , government and corporate bonds , cash and cash equivalents , private real estate funds , private partnerships , hedge funds , and other assets .
plan assets are held in a master trust and overseen by the company's investment committee .
all assets are externally managed through a combination of active and passive strategies .
managers may only invest in the asset classes for which they have been appointed .
the investment committee is responsible for setting the policy that provides the framework for management of the plan assets .
the investment committee has set the minimum and maximum permitted values for each asset class in the company's pension plan master trust for the year ended december 31 , 2018 , as follows: .

Range
U.S. equities
15
-
36%
International equities
10
-
29%
Fixed income securities
25
-
50%
Alternative investments
10
-
25%

the general objectives of the company's pension asset strategy are to earn a rate of return over time to satisfy the benefit obligations of the plans , meet minimum erisa funding requirements , and maintain sufficient liquidity to pay benefits and address other cash requirements within the master trust .
specific investment objectives include reducing the volatility of pension assets relative to benefit obligations , achieving a competitive , total investment return , achieving diversification between and within asset classes , and managing other risks .
investment objectives for each asset class are determined based on specific risks and investment opportunities identified .
decisions regarding investment policies and asset allocation are made with the understanding of the historical and prospective return and risk characteristics of various asset classes , the effect of asset allocations on funded status , future company contributions , and projected expenditures , including benefits .
the company updates its asset allocations periodically .
the company uses various analytics to determine the optimal asset mix and considers plan obligation characteristics , duration , liquidity characteristics , funding requirements , expected rates of return , regular rebalancing , and the distribution of returns .
actual allocations to each asset class could vary from target allocations due to periodic investment strategy changes , short-term market value fluctuations , the length of time it takes to fully implement investment allocation positions , such as real estate and other alternative investments , and the timing of benefit payments and company contributions .
taking into account the asset allocation ranges , the company determines the specific allocation of the master trust's investments within various asset classes .
the master trust utilizes select investment strategies , which are executed through separate account or fund structures with external investment managers who demonstrate experience and expertise in the appropriate asset classes and styles .
the selection of investment managers is done with careful evaluation of all aspects of performance and risk , demonstrated fiduciary responsibility , investment management experience , and a review of the investment managers' policies and processes .
investment performance is monitored frequently against appropriate benchmarks and tracked to compliance guidelines with the assistance of third party consultants and performance evaluation tools and metrics .
plan assets are stated at fair value .
the company employs a variety of pricing sources to estimate the fair value of its pension plan assets , including independent pricing vendors , dealer or counterparty-supplied valuations , third- party appraisals , and appraisals prepared by the company's investment managers or other experts .
investments in equity securities , common and preferred , are valued at the last reported sales price when an active market exists .
securities for which official or last trade pricing on an active exchange is available are classified as level 1 .
if closing prices are not available , securities are valued at the last trade price , if deemed reasonable , or a broker's quote in a non-active market , and are typically categorized as level 2 .
investments in fixed-income securities are generally valued by independent pricing services or dealers who make markets in such securities .
pricing methods are based upon market transactions for comparable securities and various relationships between securities that are generally recognized by institutional traders , and fixed-income securities typically are categorized as level 2. .

Question: Analyse this data from a financial earnings document. what is the difference in the range of international equities permitted in the company's pension plan?
Choices:
0
-9.71
-9.75
0.03
-1.71
Correct choice index: 1