Portfolio

The average price tag for a data breach now is $7.2 million. How are you supposed to value the loss when your crown jewels – trading algorithms – get put on data sticks or uploaded to remote servers, as happened to Goldman Sachs? Or you have to face down billions in verified losses, because you couldn’t control “unauthorized trading,” as occurred to UBS? And if you're a financial advisor or smaller advisory firm, how do you safeguard data while also taking advantage of social media and mobile devices to service your clients? The National Security Agency has begun providing Wall Street banks with intelligence on foreign hackers, a sign that financial sabotage from abroad is imminent, if not already in progress, in the estimation of Booz Allen Hamilton. Here are the Top 10 Financial Services Cyber Security Trends to act on in 2012 and recommendations on what to do about them, from senior vice president Bill Wansley.

Most people never do the type of research required to get into the right career in the first place. So we’re here to help with a package of articles to help you determine your own profile.

Legacy expert attorneys Andy and Danielle Mayoras say the intrigue and legal wrangling surrounding the copper heiress’s $400 million estate serve as a stark reminder that everyone -- wealthy or not -- needs to get proper estate planning advice from their financial advisor before it’s too late.

Nearly two-thirds, 63.8%, of plan sponsors have changed the investment lineup in their 401(k) plan in the past year, up markedly from a mere 20% in 2008, according to the Profit Sharing/401(k) Council of America.

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index surged 15.1 points in November to 56.0, up from 40.9.

NYSE Euronext, in partnership with Bloomberg New Energy Finance, is launching three "clean energy" stock indexes. The three indexes will be focused on performance of clean energy firms around the globe. The intent is to track public companies "most active in the world's historic shift to low-carbon energy."

"Frank's loss will be felt by generations of Goldman Sachs professionals," Lloyd C. Blankfein, chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs, said.

The State Street Investor Confidence Index rose 2 points in November to 97.2. In North America, the index rose 4.7 points to 95.2, and in Europe, it rose 5.4 points to 101.5. In Asia, however, the index fell 4.2 points to 94.6.

NYSE Euronext, in partnership with Bloomberg New Energy Finance, is launching three “clean energy” stock indexes. The three indexes will be focused on performance of clean energy firms around the globe. The intent is to track public companies “most active in the world's historic shift to low-carbon energy.’’

Instinet said it is giving its institutional customers the ability to electronically cast votes on which brokers provide the best research on possible investments.