Portfolio

New research by the Center for Applied Research, a think tank affiliate of State Street Corporation, is bound to leave a few advisors scratching their heads.

Parametric Portfolio Associates, a Seattle-based subsidiary of Eaton Vance Corp., has agreed to acquire the business of The Clifton Group Investment Management Company, a Minneapolis-based provider of futures- and options-based overlay services and custom risk management products to institutional investors.

Charles Schwab has launched a new site for exchange-traded fund retail investors dubbed the ETF Education Exchange, which aims to “close the knowledge gap in ETFs by aggregating educational content, research and market insights from ETF industry leaders”.

ING U.S.’s Retirement business has hired Sam Ghazaleh as head of Investor Channel Sales for its Individual Retirement Markets, the company’s retail business that provides personal retirement, investment and income guidance and product solutions to pre-retirees, retirees and the rollover markets.

Beacon Pointe Wealth Advisors announced the addition of its third advisor partner, $130 million AUM RIA Wealth Management Network of Newport Beach, Calif. today. This marks the third deal in the last year and a half for national advisory partnership firm BPWA.

ETFs saw assets up by 21.5% since last year as of the last day of October, attracting over $133 billion of inflows over the year. That's up from $99.8 billion as of October 2011.

Municipal bond mutual funds saw heavy inflows, rebounding with authority from their first week of outflows in more than six months.

So, you are working in a wirehouse now, how does independence look for you if you launch your own RIA?

Just as the cobbler's children go without shoes, two-thirds of independent advisors ignore succession planning. Such advisors could fall into an “annuity trap,” watching the value of their business degrade as they near the exit from their practice.

LPL Financial has added well-known wealth management firm MACRO Consulting of Parisippany, N.J., with $650 million in AUM and five advisors, who left independent broker dealer SII Investments for its larger rival.