Portfolio

BlackRock Friday threw a new type of product into the mix in the rapidly growing and evolving municipal bond exchange-traded fund industry.

Last year was the worst year on record for dividends as more companies slashed their dividends than ever before, according to Standard & Poor’s.

Hedge funds had their best year last year since 1999, according to the Hennessee Group, a hedge fund advisory firm.

WisdomTree Investments has introduced the WisdomTree International Hedge Equity Fund, an exchange-traded fund-of-fund.

Eighty percent of fund managers expect the stock market to continue to rise in 2010, fueled by real corporate earnings growth, rather than aggressive cost-cutting, Russell Investments found.

Seventy-three percent of 3,000 people that the Investment Company Institute polled said they are confident they will be able to retire, thanks to their 401(k) savings, and 90% gave a thumbs-up on the plans, citing their tax advantages, convenient payroll deductions, choices, control and the financial discipline they instill.

Jefferies said that independent M&A activity is sure to increase over the next two decades

Advisors can select from 14 different investment approaches designed to satisfy their clients’ various risk tolerance levels and tax situations.

A large proportion of dividends were previously provided by financial companies, which are no longer in a position to pay out.

With the economy still on life support and inflation an increasing threat, the Federal Reserve will continue to act like a “sugar daddy” and leave interest rates untouched until 2011, predicts PIMCO Co-Chief Investment Officer and founder Bill Gross.