Portfolio

Investors should have realistic performance expectations when investing international funds, said Dan Lefkovitz, a mutual fund analyst for Morningstar Inc.

Morningstar's database of hedge funds, excluding funds-of-funds, returned an average of 1.98% during the fourth quarter of 2007, outperforming the MSCI World Index and the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index.

The rapid growth in the exchange-traded fund arena is increasing the complexity of capital gains taxes, writes the Wall Street Journal.

DALLAS – As the subprime mortgage crisis unfolded in the latter part of 2007 and took its toll on the municipal market – specifically the bond insurance industry – one sector of tax-exempt mutual funds was quietly outperforming all other categories.

According to Morningstar, four formerly closed foreign small/mid-value funds have opened their doors to investors.

A little-known hedge fund was a big contributor to last summer’s subprime mortgage crisis, while the fund itself profited from its skillful swaps, writes the Wall Street Journal.

Early estimates for domestic individual annuity sales for 2007 show they are on a record-setting pace, growing 6% through the first three quarters of the year to reach $189.4 billion, according to LIMRA International.

As asset managers gear up for Baby Boomers' retirement years, Richard "Mac" Hisey, chief investment officer at AARP Financial, took some time out last with to speak with MME Senior Editor Brent Shearer about how investment firms are trying to reach out to Boomers.

The Treasury Department will begin offering Social Security recipients the option of receiving payments by debit card instead of traditional checks, signaling a further effort by the government to move toward electronic technology.

Hedge Fund Managers Add Billions to Bottom Line