Portfolio

WASHINGTON—While investors have overwhelmingly stayed the course and remained invested in mutual funds following the financial crises of 1987, 1990, 2000 and 2008, the latest credit crisis has greatly reduced investors’ risk tolerance, said Investment Company Institute Chairman Edward C. Bernard in his opening keynote address to the ICI’s General Membership Meeting Wednesday here.

WASHINGTON—The U.S. economy, while not poised to grow as rapidly as emerging nations and saddled with a $1.4 trillion a year deficit, has the fundamentals in place and “the resiliency and strength” to reclaim its position as the leading economy of the world, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told attendees at the Investment Company Institute’s General Membership Meeting here Wednesday.

With so many mutual fund options available to them, some investors are finding it much more difficult to sort out exactly which funds make the most sense for them from both a cost and investment perspective, according to Madison, N.J.-based financial advisory firm Brinton Eaton.

The SIX Swiss Exchange has begun trading in 12 exchange-traded funds created by State Street Global Advisors.

CHICAGO — Strong investor relationships and diligent disclosure provide issuers with their best shot at keeping borrowing costs down amid headlines about fiscal stress that persist even as state tax revenues have rebounded, a conference panelist said here Tuesday.

Genworth Financial Wealth Management has introduced a streamlined approach to diversifying investments through its Genworth Portfolio Solutions (GPS).

Hatteras Funds has added two single strategy hedged mutual funds to its lineup of alternative mutual fund products. They are the Hatteras Long/Short Equity Fund and the Hatteras Long/Short Debt Fund.

Hedge funds, as measured by the Dow Jones Credit Suisse Hedge Fund Index, rose 2.2% in the first quarter, with positive performance in each month.

Global X Funds has launched the Global X Food ETF, in anticipation of growing demand for food, driven by the growth of emerging market nations.

The Federal Reserve’s ultra-easy monetary policy has been a major cause of rising corporate profits and a broader recovery, says Black Rock Chief Equity Strategist Bob Doll. The Fed has also helped bring about the decline in the dollar, boosting exports.