Portfolio

Assets in U.S. exchange-traded funds rose to $924.9 billion as of October 31 - its highest level on record - up $39.9 billion or 4.5% during the month.

The economic downturn took a toll on how much money wealthy families donated to charity in 2009, with average gift amounts tumbling by 35% from 2007, according to a Bank of America study released on Tuesday.

“Everything feels better than it did 12 to 18 months ago, but not as good as it did three to six months ago,” he said during a lunch time interview with Charlie Rose on Monday at SIFMA's annual conference in New York City.

BOSTON-A chorus of revolutionaries convinced that traditional, growth, value and blend style-dominated asset allocation needs to be replaced by strategic, tactical allocation was quite vocal at FundForum 2010 USA here last week.

So it almost looked like the six-month-long nightmare in funds flowing out of mutual funds that invest in U.S. stocks, long-term, was ending.

U.S. small-cap value stocks-consumer discretionary, industrials, financials and energy in particular-are poised to deliver solid returns as the economy and the stock market continue to improve, according to investment officers at recent outlook briefings.

Money market funds continue to waive big chunks of their management fees as yields on cash instruments remain too low to charge the full amount.

According to BlackRock, if broker-dealers end up losing money on those fees, they will eventually compensate by serving clients on advisory programs called wrap accounts.

Hedge fund compensation increased again in 2010, although by less than it did in 2009, and industry payouts are still below the peaks reached in 2007, according to analysis by Glocap Search LLC and Hedge Fund Research.

The Hedge Fund Association said it is adamantly opposed to the establishment of a self-regulatory organization for hedge funds, which the Government Accountability Office is currently investigating under the provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.