Portfolio

Hennessy Advisors closed out 2013 with a huge ramp up in assets thanks to its acquisition of funds from FBR Funds.

These often-reclusive businesses manage the finances of America’s affluent and occasionally complete with banks for clients and employees. These offices have interesting back stories.

If you want to keep them on track, forget nitty-gritty details and focus on these six major themes.

Tax-exempt money market funds gave up two-thirds of the impressive gains they generated last week.

Municipal bond mutual funds recorded a second consecutive week of strong flows, as funds that report their flows weekly saw $1.44 billion in inflows for the week of Jan. 16.

According to Joe Hurley, founder of Savingforcollege.com, by far the most frequently asked questions he receives from advisors concern the impact of 529 plans on financial aid.

Legg Mason, the money manager best known as home to stockpicker Bill Miller, is folding Miller’s Legg Mason Capital Management division into its ClearBridge Investments equity unit as assets have tumbled.

So what does a quartet of space ships beaming up a cow and an exploding airbag have to do with investment management?

Look out for a switch in sub-advisers for one Touchstone Investments fund.

Morningstar has launched the Morningstar US Real Asset Index, a diversified portfolio of liquid assets that traditionally provide a hedge against inflation, including Treasury inflation-protected securities, real estate investment trusts, and commodity stocks and futures.