Portfolio

The municipal securities market is beset by problems that defy easy solutions, academics and experts told municipal analysts Friday.

Retirement Planning Group advises on solutions for saving for the future.

The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index rose to -46.9 in the week ended March 27, its first increase in five weeks. The index is based on telephone interviews with 1,000 consumers aged 18 and over.

Lazard Asset Management has launched the Lazard Emerging Markets Multi-Strategy Portfolio, a mutual fund that will employ both emerging markets equity and debt strategies

Chief executive officers’ outlook for their company and economy improved markedly in the first quarter from the end of 2010, the Business Roundtable First Quarter 2011 CEO Economic Outlook Survey shows.

Despite the fact investor interest in emerging markets seemed to decline during the first quarter, Emerging Global Advisors announced its assets under management soared as investors looked for more precise exposures to emerging market opportunities.

But $1.42 billion is redeemed from equity funds.

Tax-exempt municipal money market funds lost nearly $3 billion in the week ended March 28 as total net assets fell to $319.30 billion, according to the Money Fund Report, a service of iMoneyNet.com.

Self-regulatory officials may assess fees on municipal advisors based on their advisory activity and are focused on disclosure to retail muni investors.

The new gift-tax exemption of $5 million opens the door to lots of gifting strategies, ranging from simple to more complex.