Portfolio

The Boston company may have the largest supermarket of mutual funds, but it’s no longer just about offering a wide selection of mutual funds or getting companies set up with retirement benefits programs.

Seventy-eight percent of advisers increased the number and duration of client contacts in 2009 to regain their trust after the very difficult year before, and while that has distracted many from business strategies, 68% of advisers are confident about their practices in the coming year. This is according to a survey of 1,804 advisers and 150 broker/dealers that Curian Capital conducted via Zoomerang.

Although the Obama administration recently gave its stamp of approval on annuities as a solution for retirement income, many professionals warn that their low yields and increasing fees should give investors pause, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Invesco has launched a defined contribution website at invesco.com/dc aimed at plan sponsors, consultants, recordkeepers and advisers. It will include information as well as brochures, calculators, whitepapers and videos.

U.S. stock mutual funds received $2.7 billion in inflows in January, reversing four consecutive months of outflows. “I think investors are growing more comfortable coming back into the stock market after 2009’s rally,” Morningstar Senior Fund Analyst Sonya Morris told The Wall Street Journal. “They’re beginning to show signs of shaking off some of the fear that was induced from 2008’s downturn.”

The financial crisis has made a permanent impression on American consumers, who are likely to save 6% or more of their income over the next decade, translating to as much as $800 billion stashed away each year, according to a new study by Allianz Group.

SEC to Propose New Target-Date Fund Rule

After a New York Times story about the Obama administration promoting the use of fixed annuities to help middle-class savers in defined contribution (DC) plans manage longevity risk, research and advisory firm Aite Group took a look at what this will mean for insurers.

RR Donnelley has added another mobile application to its suite for mutual fund and annuity companies, broker/dealers and financial advisers, the iCOMPLi iPhone app that makes it possible to send a SEC-compliant prospectus, summary prospectus or statement of additional information to an investor.

But some analysts are skeptical of the impact its new online pricing is having.