Portfolio

Exchange-traded funds that made bets on the gold sector were punished in the first half of the year with poor returns and redemptions amid a two-year low in price for the precious metal.

Exchange-traded fund risks and the use of ETFs in portfolio construction were ranked as the top two topics that advisors understood the best, according to new findings from Cerulli Associates.

To put it bluntly, James Gandolfini’s estate is a mess. His faulty estate planning provides a good lesson of the types of complications that can arise for clients who rely heavily on a will.

Eaton Vance has hired Vincent Leon as director of offshore sales, reporting to John Moninger, managing director, retail sales. Leon hails from 3D Asset Management where he served as national sales manager.

Here’s a sampling of bank reps who were recently promoted or moved to new organizations to assume roles of greater responsibility.

AdvisorShares is launching the AdvisorShares Athena International Bear ETF (HDGI) on July 19. HDGI is subadvised by Greenwood Village, Colo.-based AthenaInvest Advisors.

Bloomfield, Mich.-based Flexible Plan Investments has launched The Gold Bullion Strategy Fund (QGLDX), which the firm is touting as the industry’s first gold bullion fund offered to retail investors through a mutual fund product

Bond funds netted redemptions of $59 billion (excluding exchange-traded funds) last month, according to Strategic Insight.

Alternative mutual fund shop Collins Capital has appointed Casey Wamsley as a director, focusing on both the mutual fund and limited partnership businesses of Collins Capital.

To help financial services firms adhere to corporate and regulatory standards when it comes to social media communciations, Actiance unveiled review and approval capabilities to its Socialite social-media management program.