Portfolio

Tocqueville Asset Management will acquire Delafield Asset Management, a provider of mutual funds, separately managed accounts and limited partnerships. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Tritt Promoted to EVP At DST Systems

It could take as long as five years for asset managers around the world to recoup the $10 trillion they lost in 2008, according to a report by Cerulli, which calls the global meltdown "of near-biblical proportions."

Fidelity Investments aims to double its assets under administration in the next five years, and stepped-up sales through banks will be a major contributor, company executives said.

Investors to Continue Seeking Fixed Income, Other Safe Funds

Nearly every asset class saw robust performance in the second quarter, but the initial elation at the lack of terrible news has worn off as investors brace for a tough second half, according to Lipper's review of the second quarter.

While mergers and acquisitions among asset management companies were down significantly during the first half of 2009, many M&A experts predict this decline will flatten out or reverse by the end of the year, driven by renewed faith in the profitability of asset firms and banks' continued need to raise capital.

Despite the best performing returns for mutual funds in the second quarter in the past six years, investors appear unsure that the market is actually turning around because they don’t see sustained strength in the economy or corporate earnings. In fact, some fear the recession could get worse.

After 56% of fund managers cut their equity exposure in the first five months of the year, in June, 32% said they would increase their equity investments, and 14% said they would hold them steady, according to a survey by the U.K.’s Association of Investment Companies.

iShares has introduced the iShares S&P Emerging Markets Infrastructure Index Fund. The timing is auspicious, as in May, emerging market ETFs attracted $6 billion, 40% of the $14.9 billion that investors placed in ETFs. And the trading volume of iShares emerging markets funds has increased 119% this year.