Portfolio

Workers who had already been investing in their 401(k) for at least five years through 2008 saw their balances drop an average of 24% last year, compared with the S&P 500's sharp 37% decline, the Investment Company Institute and the Employee Benefit Research Institute said.

Crisis Has Not Prompted Mutual Funds, Other Institutional Investors to Change Portfolios

BOSTON - As tax experts at mutual fund companies hurry to prepare their fund accounting systems before newly mandated changes to federal cost-basis reporting rules take effect, they are finding they could use a little help and guidance from the government.

In 2007, Philip Moses, a Raymond James adviser at First Federal Bank of Florida in Lake City, had a local physician as a client who wanted to diversify his $1.5 million portfolio.

As exchange-traded funds continue to grow in scope and popularity, investment experts warn that some products, such as leveraged and inverse ETFs, may be too dangerous for all but the most experienced hands.

While most funds strictly adhere to their investment mandates, more are permitting their managers to move into cash and bonds as a defensive play. And the strategy proved to be extremely wise in last year’s steep declines.

Hedge funds rose 3.2% in September, slightly behind the S&P 500’s 3.6% gain but beating the Dow Jones Industrial Average’s 2.3% gain, Hennessee Group said. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq advanced 5.6%.

A new report from Morningstar slams actively managed funds not only on performance but also on risk and style. The research firm found that only about 50% of funds have outperformed their benchmark indexes over the past three, five and 10 years and only 37% did so on a risk-, size- and style-adjusted basis.

Long-term mutual funds netted $4.94 billion in the week ended Sept. 30, marking the 29th straight week of inflows now nearing $305 billion, the Investment Company Institute said.

Putnam Investments has promoted two executives within its global distribution team, naming Joseph T. Phoenix and Catherine A. Saunders head of registered investment advisor business. Both have been with the company for more than 20 years. The two will continue to report to William T. Connolly, head of global distribution.