Portfolio

SAN FRANCISCO -- BlackRock Managing Director and CIO of fixed income portfolios Rick Rieder painted a bleak overall economic picture before an overflow audience at the Schwab Impact conference here Thursday. With Fed policy holding interest rates low, it’s unlikely investors in fixed income will see yields rise far above current levels anytime soon.

Russell Investments has launched three international equity “factor” exchange-traded funds designed to provide investors with focused exposure to fundamental risk factors -- namely low beta, low volatility and high momentum. The funds complement Russell’s existing 10 domestic factor ETFs.

Putnam Investments has launched the Putnam Short Duration Income Fund, a fixed-income fund that aims to combine the capital preservation appeal of a money market fund with the higher yield of an ultra-short bond fund.

Pacific Investment Management has renewed its contract with State Street to manage its investment operations, on an outsourced basis.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose Thursday, finishing up 1.76% to 12044.47. Stocks received a boost after the Greek prime minister discarded plans to hold a referendum on a bailout for the country.

BlackRock managing director paints bleak economic picture but says corporate balance sheets are still solid.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Alternative investment strategies are relatively new. But they've already achieved broad acceptance within the investment world, Jerome Abernathy of Rydex SGI told a packed gathering at the Schwab Impact conference here Wednesday.

Russell Investments has launched three international equity “factor” exchange-traded funds designed to provide investors with focused exposure to fundamental risk factors—namely low beta, low volatility and high momentum. The funds complement Russell’s existing 10 domestic factor ETFs.

Putnam Investments has launched the Putnam Short Duration Income Fund, a fixed income fund that aims to combine the capital preservation appeal of a money market fund with the higher yield of an ultra-short bond fund.

Jerome Abernathy of Rydex SGI says alternative investment strategies will be increasingly critical for advisors who want to generate yield for their clients while also protecting them against systemic financial shocks.