Alternative investments

For the next few days, 1,500 fund managers from across the nation will gather in Chicago for the 2008 Morningstar Investment Conference, with the hopes of hearing new ideas and investment strategies that can help them reengage their clients in investments.

Lately, many frustrated preferred investors have searched for an opportunity to cash in on the subprime crisis and move on. Responding directly to investor woes, several closed-end fund companies like Nuveen Investments Inc. and Eaton Vance Corp. decided that they would be offering investors a chance to redeem their auction-rate preferred securities, The Wall Street Journal reports

WELLESLEY, Mass.—Mutual fund wholesaling isn’t what it used to be. Today, highly sophisticated gatekeepers at broker/dealers go by the name of “Fund Selection Units,” where they hold mutual funds up to a whole new set of demanding criteria akin to the rigors that pension plans put investments choices through.

Security Global Investors (SGI) has announced it is intensifying its efforts to raise capital for global equity expansion.Out of the $9 billion in assets that SGI currently manages, $1 billion is in global equity investment strategies.The current global equity team within SGI manages two programs, the Global Long Only and the Global Long/Short Long Biased, and is planning on launching the Global Market Neutral strategy later this year.The success of the long/short program has drawn the attention of hedge fund investors throughout the industry. John Boich leads the GLS with 17 years of successful global equity portfolio management experience.In addition to the promotion of new global programs, SGI hired Sanjay Yodh, an industry veteran who previously worked at JPMorgan and Deutsche Asset Management, to focus on the global equity investment expansion of SGI.

Backed by the Omidyar Network's recent $10 million contribution, Latin America's first social venture capital fund, IGNIA Fund I has now raised $20.6 million in capital commitments. This first close is only the beginning for the Monterrey, Mexico-based fund, which hopes to raise $50 to $75 million in total."This is a unique group of investors because of their commitment to pioneer solutions to poverty through high growth, profitable and scalable businesses that simultaneously generate wealth for the poor and provide attractive returns to its investors," said lvaro Rodrguez Arregui, IGNIA co-founder and managing partner.Specifically, IGNIA attempts to locate and then aid various Latin American entrepreneurial businesses that seek to positively impact low-income families and or individuals suffering from the effects of poverty. Industries of particular interest for the socially aware fund are health care, housing, and education."The IGNIA Fund hits an Omidyar Network sweet spot: creating economic opportunity by leveraging the energy and creativity of entrepreneurial ventures," said Jim Bunch, director of investments at Omidyar Network. "We expect IGNIA to provide a compelling demonstration effect of the power of entrepreneurship, and we are pleased to join the fund at the start of what we expect to be an exciting and productive journey."

NEW YORK - Hedge funds are notorious for being secretive, private investment pools, but the time has finally come for them to become more transparent in order to capture the billions of dollars floating around alpha-seeking institutional investors' pockets.

Invesco, the global investment management firm with its U.S. headquarters in Atlanta, is continuing its efforts to evolve into a bigger global power brand with both diverse and expansive investment offerings. Parent company Invesco Ltd. is headquartered in London.

By now, investors are accustomed to the creative, informal "Talk to Chuck" advertisements of Charles Schwab & Co. in which animated, yet somewhat realistic, images of people gripe about trying to get through to other brokers, but take heart at the thought of reaching Chuck Schwab, the man, through one of his people.

The recent mortgage market crisis has opened a Pandora's box of white-collar cases probed by the U.S. attorney’s Eastern District office.

Goldman Sachs and Deloitte & Touche LLP announced they had finalized plans to unload a portion of a $7 billion structured investment vehicle, which was set up by U.K. hedge fund manager Cheyne Capital Management LLP, according to a recent report by Bloomberg.

When an employee leaves a firm, can they take their client list with them to their new job?

When the value of the dollar decreases, Americans are apt to invest in tangible assets such as real estate. As depreciation continues, it comes as no surprise that real estate mutual funds (REMFs) have grown 6% so far this year. What is surprising, however, is seeing financial success in one of the worst real estate markets in years.

Money market mutual fund assets fell $38.91 billion for the week ending June 18, according to the Investment Company Institute.

The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation is currently celebrating the 10 year anniversary of its ADR Index. This index has become a global benchmark for investments as mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and other structured products are scaled based on its valuation.

The Securities and Exchange Commission announced Thursday that it would be releasing $103 million to investors who have lost money involving Banc of America Capital Management LLC (BACAP) and affiliates’ illegal and unethical activities.

A shocking lack of financial knowledge by our nation’s teenagers has caused a junior achievement organization and an association of retired teachers to band together to help bridge this gap.

As the tax debate begins between Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain, many investors and tax advisors say capital gains taxes will increase no matter what the outcome is this coming November, The Wall Street Journal reports. Senator Obama seeks to increase the current capital gains rate 5% or more for families making over $250,000.

Morgan Stanley, releasing its 2nd quarter earnings Wednesday, reported a 60% drop in profit from $2.57 billon, or $2.45 a share, in the second quarter of 2007, to $1.01 billion, or 95 cents a share. Net revenue also fell a substantial 38% from $10.52 billion to $6.51 billion.

Boston-based Eaton Vance Management has just received a no-action letter from the SEC that will permit it to provide a new auction-rate security known as Liquidity Protected Preferred Shares, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Approximately 78 million working Americans are currently working jobs that do not provide them with a retirement plan; however, Barack Obama is looking to change this predicament, according to a report by CNNMoney.com.