Portfolio

With the global debt crisis set to corral investment banking's bull run, it's questionable whether the largest lenders can compensate for a resultant decline in a top source of profits.

Investor-adviser relations are considerably improving, Fidelity Investments and National Financial found in a survey of 350 investors and 218 brokers and advisers.

Mutual fund investors preferred bonds, while gold set the standard for ETF inflows.

Senate Republicans have proposed an alternative bill to extend expiring tax-law provisions that would not include Build America Bonds, a major difference from pending legislation, which would extend the BAB program by two years while gradually reducing its subsidy rate to 30% from 35%.

The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association Monday said the creation of a system of monitoring overall risks to the nation's financial industry could take one of eight forms, each of which would be costly.

WSJ's June 15 "Fund Track" column picks up on the continuing price wars among ETF providers, Fidelity, Vanguard, iShares, Van Eck and Schwab, notwithstanding.

Chief executives are feeling optimistic about the U.S. economy over the next 12 months for the first time since the second quarter of 2007, with CEOs of private companies with international operations being slightly more optimistic than those that are only domestic.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C.--Banks expect hybrid annuities with long-term-care riders to be the next hot product on brokerage platforms, as soon as product providers ramp up their offerings in this area, a Kehrer-Limra executive said.

From June 1 to June 5, advisors affiliated with Royal Alliance came together for NEC 2010 in Orlando, FL. During this educational conference, advisors heard Royal Alliance executives and industry experts speak on a variety of topics from retirement and estate planning to practice management and technology. Attendees also took advantage of valuable networking opportunities with their peers.Below are photo highlights from the event.

The San Francisco discount brokerage firm reported that its daily average client trades in May increased 14% from a year earlier and 17% from a month earlier.