Alternative investments

On July 24, 2012, Discounted exchange-traded fund provider Vanguard now tops the field of leading ETF providers among advisors in another category: favorable impressions.

On July 24, 2012, Newly formed alternative asset management shop Madison Park Capital Partners, LLC has hired Erik Ogard, former Ddrector of Multi Strategy Solutions for Russell Investments, as a managing principal.

On July 23, 2012, Exchange-traded funds have experienced tremendous growth over the past decade but not all of that growth is positive, according to new research from Vanguard.

On July 23, 2012, Raleigh, N.C. – based Hatteras Funds today revealed that it is hosting its own alternative road show, constructed as a series of forums across the U.S. for advisors, home office research teams and consultants to meet the underlying hedge fund managers of the Hatteras alternative mutual funds (Alpha Hedged Strategies Fund, Long/Short Equity Fund, and Long/Short Debt Fund).

On July 20, 2012, Alternative mutual fund Forward is now one of the portfolio strategists on the investment platform of Genworth Financial Wealth Management, Inc., where it will introduce its new multi-asset income product to advisors.

Asset managers predict alternative mutual funds to make up 9.7% of mutual fund assets in five years, and rise further to 15.8% of assets in 10 years, according to new research by Cerulli Associates.

On July 19, 2012, Asset managers predict alternative mutual funds to make up 9.7% of mutual fund assets in five years, and rise further to 15.8% of assets in 10 years, according to new research by Cerulli Associates.

BlackRock Inc.’s Laurence D. Fink, who heads the world’s largest asset manager, said his firm needs to capture a larger share of the deposits that are going into U.S. equity exchange-traded funds.

On July 18, 2012, Want exposure to managed futures? Think multi-manager funds, according to a new white paper penned by William Marr and Alexander Rudin, principals of Ramius Trading Strategies.

On July 16, 2012, Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC plans to list the PowerShares DWA SmallCap Technical Leaders Portfolio on July 19, 2012 on the NYSE Arca.

On a three to two vote, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged the nation's exchanges and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority with developing and maintaining a consolidated and auditable trail of every order, cancellation, modification and executed trade on 13 national stock exchanges, 10 options markets and through more than 200 broker-dealers.

Perhaps it was only a matter of time before Morningstar decided to put its stamp of approval, and disapproval, on alternative mutual funds. And by all measures, it should.

Ernst & Young LLP has appointed Julie Canty and Carlos A. Schmidt as partners in the firm’s Asset Management Tax practice.

Hatteras Funds this week launched a new variable trust fund, the Hatteras Alpha Hedged Strategies Variable Fund, which made its debut on the flat-fee variable annuity platform of Jefferson National last month and will bet on “multiple” hedge fund managers.

Financial advisors plan to increase their use of alternative investments this year, according to Jackson National Life Insurance Co. One big challenge: they need to understand the asset class better.

J.P. Morgan Asset Management has filed paperwork with the Securities and Exchange Commission to launch the JPMorgan Commodities Strategy Fund.

Advisors are looking to adopt alternative investments in their portfolios but are leaning on guided strategies from fund firms to do so, according to a new survey by Jackson National Life Insurance Company.

Alternative mutual fund shop Hatteras Funds has launched a new variable trust fund, the Hatteras Alpha Hedged Strategies Variable Fund, which will bet on “multiple” hedge fund managers.

Financial services-focused private equity shop Lightyear Capital LLC has appointed Jerry W. Miller, former president and chief executive officer of Van Kampen Investments, as a senior advisor on behalf of its affiliated funds.

On July 6, 2012, IndexIQ plans to close the IQ South Korea Small Cap ETF (NYSE Arca: SKOR).