Portfolio

Smaller investment firms deliver stronger returns and better downside protection in volatile markets than larger firms when investing in U.S. large-cap stocks, Northern Trust found.

USAA has launched two funds that address inflation and interest rate concerns.

Spectrem Group’s Spectrem Millionaire Investor Confidence Index rose six points in October to zero, a neutral reading and its highest level in nearly three years, and the Spectrem Affluent Investor Confidence Index rose three points to minus 13, a mildly bearish reading.

According to Morningstar, Alaska, Maryland, Nevada, Ohio and Virginia are all considered best in class across five performance areas.

The company hopes to use the new office to expand through family offices, financial advisors and high-net-worth invetors.

When it comes to large-cap equity investing, smaller asset management firms are proving to outperform their larger peers in the asset class, according to research compiled by Northern Trust.

Waddell & Reed Financial reported third quarter net income of $40.5 million, or 47 cents per diluted share, up 21% from $33.4 million, or 39 cents per diluted share, in the third quarter of 2009.

The State Street Investor Confidence Index, which measures the actual buying and selling of institutional investors, fell 1.9 points in October to 86.2 from 88.1 the month before. In North America, confidence fell even more, by 3.2 points, to 84.9 from 88.1.

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index increased slightly in October after decreasing a small amount in September. The index now stands at 50.2, up from 48.6 in September.

TD Ameritrade Tuesday reported that it attracted a record $34 billion in new assets in fiscal 2010 ended Sept. 30, an 11% increase from assets held at the beginning of the year.