Portfolio

(Bloomberg) – The largest developing nations for the first time have the worst market opportunities as optimism for stronger growth shifts to the U.S. and Europe, according to a Bloomberg Global Poll.

The 2008 and 2009 global financial crisis left many investors disappointed with the high volatility and negative performance of their portfolios and leading them to re-evaluate the risk reducing ability of asset allocation.

In the first half of 2013, they generated $283.3 million in revenue, the most they’ve made in the first six months of any year since 2007.

“To have a national brand, you have to have a client experience that can be duplicated in every location, like Starbucks," says Rudy Adolf, CEO of Focus Financial Partners. "No advisory firm has the ability to deliver this kind of promise," he says.

Developed economies are turning into global growth engines as some emerging-market counterparts decelerate.

Umpqua Holdings' agreement to buy Sterling Financial is the latest in a series of deals this year to pair similarly sized banks, creating a new crop of midsize financial institutions.

Whereas men tend to view money as ethically neutral, women generally have stronger feelings about the social and environmental impacts of money.

Options have been used in asset management for several decades, but due to current market conditions asset managers' interest has been renewed in this strategy. With bonds in a bear market and an equity market meandering horizontally, these managers are embracing options as a way to generate income while protecting against the downside.

FINRA’s Board of Governors will finally consider its controversial plan to require transitioning advisors to disclose recruitment incentives.

(Bloomberg) – A Morgan Stanley employee identifying himself as a credit audit specialist sued the bank over claims he suffered retaliation after he discussed the growing number of high-risk loans in its portfolio.