Alternative investments

Nasdaq OMX and risk analytics developer Axioma have launched a family of indexes that will give investors exposure to commodity spot prices, through the use of stocks.

A co-founder of BlackRock said Friday that money market mutual funds would survive, if their asset values would allowed to float from their a stable $1 net asset value per share.

Wells Fargo Funds Management, LLC, the investment advisor to Wells Fargo Advantage Funds, has rolled out a fund that will invest in a wide range of alternative investments.

The much-awaited opening of trading in Pacific Investment Management Co.’s Total Return ETF arrived this morning. By noon, 345,800 shares had been traded. Missing from the ringing of the bell at the New York Stock Exchange: the fund’s manager, Bill Gross.

Goldman Sachs Asset Management yesterday unveiled two funds today: a managed futures fund and a short duration income fund. These launches follow the launch of a rising dividend growth fund on Monday.

Alternative mutual fund shop Direxion has hired Greg Blue to serve as senior regional sales director, focusing on the Florida market.

Hungry for healthier returns, more mutual funds are investing in commodities, commodity futures, swaps and options.

Dennis Sugino, president and co-founder Marina Del Rey, Calif.-based Cliffwater LLC, is retiring, as part of changes in the ownership structure of the alternative investment consulting firm.

Bond behemoth PIMCO is making a push into the equities space with the hire of Geoffrey Johnson as an executive vice president and global equity portfolio manager. He will begin with the firm in April and will be based in the Newport Beach office.

U.S. securities regulators have widened their inquiry into the trillion-dollar market for exchange-traded funds, according to a person familiar with the matter.

A new study by is looking to answer the age-old question: Do active investment managers (e.g., mutual funds and hedge funds) add value above and beyond simply investing in an index?

Key Additions at Northern Trust Alternatives; MMI Appoints Lensing and Ledbury as VPs; Stephenson and Klaas Join Heartland Marketing; Eze Castle Promotes Holden to CFO

The leadership team for Citi Capital Advisors (CCA) disclosed in a memo yesterday that the global alternative asset management platform for institutional and ultra high net worth investors will soon be under employee ownership separate from its parent company.

Hedge fund manager and long-time gold bull John Paulson cut his gold ETF bullion holdings by about $600 million in the fourth quarter, a second straight reduction that was likely driven by client redemption needs as he remained upbeat on the metal.

Citi has entered into an agreement with Credit Suisse’s Asset management division to provide a comprehensive suite of milled office, custody and hedge fund administration services to support part of its U.S.-based alternative investments business.

Alternative investment manager Direxion has launched a “buy and hold” fund designed to replicate the Auspice Managed Futures ER Index.

More than six in 10 advisors predicted market gains greater than 5%, a sentiment that has increased from just three weeks ago.

Three new exchange-traded funds aim to use wild stock market swings, like those of the last few years, to automatically cut losses and improve investor returns.

ProShares Trust has expanded Citigroup’s regulatory administration services contract to include the alternative investment manager’s exchange traded funds.

Less than half of Generation X and Y investors plan to contribute to their Individual Retirement Account (IRA) funds for the 2011 tax year, according to new survey results published by T. Rowe Price.