Portfolio

Guinness Atkinson Asset Management last week disclosed in a regulatory filing its first proposed exchange-traded fund: a dividend offering.

Since peaking at $1,900 per ounce in September 2011, the price of gold has dropped nearly 22%, to last Friday’s close. Labeling himself an “inveterate contrarian,” John Stoltzfus, chief investment strategist at Oppenheimer, suggests that a near-term bounce might be in order.

North Peak Asset Management has added a new fund to its family. The Duxbury, MA shop launched the Inflation Hedges Strategy fund (INHIX, INHRX) which will invest in asset classes that are sensitive to increases in inflation.

Although the market is improving in some places, the overall value of real estate owned by U.S. households fell to $17.65 trillion in 2012 from $22.7 trillion in 2006, according to the Federal Reserve. Much of that decline hit boomers the hardest, since most were in their peak earning years when the financial meltdown occurred and were living in the largest homes they would ever own. Financial planners now face a challenge: how to help clients chart a future that will meet their housing and health needs while preserving as much of their assets and capital as possible.

Although the market is improving in some places, the overall value of real estate owned by U.S. households fell to $17.65 trillion in 2012 from $22.7 trillion in 2006, according to the Federal Reserve. Much of that decline hit boomers the hardest, since most were in their peak earning years when the financial meltdown occurred and were living in the largest homes they would ever own. Financial planners now face a challenge: how to help clients chart a future that will meet their housing and health needs while preserving as much of their assets and capital as possible.

Revenue from trading bonds declined 3% to $4.6 billion, excluding adjustments, from the same period last year, Citigroup said. David Trone, an analyst with JMP Securities LLC, had estimated $3.2 billion. Moshe Orenbuch, a Credit Suisse Group AG analyst, predicted $4.2 billion.

Vanguard is shaking up its government relations office.

New rules to reduce risk in money-market mutual funds will be proposed in the next two months by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which won’t be slowed by a leadership change, a commissioner said last week.

Richard Weil, chief executive officer at Janus Capital Group, had his compensation reduced 19% to $4.98 million in 2012 as investors withdrew $12.1 billion from the firm.

The Securities and Exchange Commission is getting social.