Portfolio

As the saying goes, fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

Traditionally, municipal bonds have been sold to investors in units of $1,000 or even $5,000 or $10,000 per bond, a size that deters many smaller investors or leads them to turn to a bond fund. Now California is doing something about that by offering $25 mini-bonds.

Bank-affiliated brokerages have been big revenue earners for banks, especially since the financial crisis struck in 2008, but a new Aite Group study found that banks could and should be doing much more to boost revenues from cross-selling wealth management products to retail bank customers.

The concept release is out. And the Securities and Exchange Commission wants to know: Just how much leverage should a mutual fund have?

First Trust Advisors has selected JPMorgan to sponsor 21 exchange-traded funds it is listing on the Mexican stock exchange, Bolsa Mexicana de Valores.

Fair value is of particular importance amid the heightened market volatility, according to a new report from Interactive Data Corp. This is particularly true of international equities, the firm said, basing its findings on a survey of fund companies.

Recent market calamities will continue to put a damper on asset growth and margins, as investors are likely to continue to embrace more conservative, lower-fee investment choices, Kasina predicts.

Most analysts and economists believe the Federal Reserve Board is practically compelled to do something to help boost the economy when it meets later this month. If and when the Fed makes a move, it will likely have a negative impact on bond funds.

Neuberger Berman has introduced the Neuberger Berman Global Equity Fund and the Neuberger Berman Global Thematic Opportunities Fund, complements, the firm says, to the Neuberger Berman Global Allocation Fund introduced in June.

At a time when jobs are hard to find and raises are paltry, employers are looking to their 401(k) plans to better serve their workers.