pre_text: Assets in the combined schemes increased by £177.1m to £5,040.7m in the period. RHM scheme assets increased by £149.1m to £4,333.6m while the Premier Foods’ schemes assets increased by £28.0m to £707.1m. The most significant movement by asset class is that of government bonds which increased by £444.0m in the year, predominantly in the RHM scheme. Liabilities in the combined schemes increased by £121.0m in the year to £4,667.6m. The value of liabilities associated with the RHM scheme were £3,495.8m, an increase of £65.3m while liabilities in the Premier Foods schemes were £55.7m higher at £1,171.8m. The increase in the value of liabilities in both schemes is due to a lower discount rate assumption of 2.45% (31 March 2018: 2.70%) and an increase in the RPI inflation rate assumption; from 3.15% to 3.25%. The Group’s Pension Trustees have just commenced the triennial actuarial valuation process of the Group’s pension schemes as at 31 March 2019 (RHM scheme) and 5 April 2019 (Premier Foods main scheme). This exercise typically takes a number of months to conclude; the output of which will be provided in due course. The net present value of future deficit payments, to the end of the respective recovery periods remains at circa £300–320m.
table: Combined pensions schemes (£m) 30 March 2019 31 March 2018
table: Assets
table: Equities 179.5 296.5
table: Government bonds 1,490.4 1,046.4
table: Corporate bonds 26.9 20.7
table: Property 436.5 391.0
table: Absolute return products 1,141.2 1,323.3
table: Cash 38.1 32.4
table: Infrastructure funds 256.1 254.6
table: Swaps 556.4 715.3
table: Private equity 446.1 344.0
table: Other 469.5 439.4
table: Total Assets 5,040.7 4,863.6
table: Liabilities
table: Discount rate 2.45% 2.70%
table: Inflation rate (RPI/CPI) 3.25%/2.15% 3.15%/2.05%
question: Analyse this data from a financial earnings document. What was the change in equities from 2018 to 2019?