Portfolio

ICMA Retirement Corp. (ICMA-RC) of Washington, is one of the first to boldly jump into what it's dubbing the "Sidecar IRA," technically known as the "deemed IRA."

Is Gary Winnick, chairman of beleaguered telecom Global Crossing, trying to save his own hide by making a public pledge of $25 million to those among his employees who lost large sums of their 401(k)s plan during the recent telecom bust? Or, is he, as he recently told Congress, trying to set a precedent in corporate moral responsibility?

Craig Callahan thinks he has something that investors want: a little peace of mind.

Most 401(k) investors took a hands-off approach to their retirement plans last year, declining to make trades or adequately diversify their assets.

In an effort to steer market-weary customers into their pockets, firms are offering principal protection on a number of funds, and some investors have warmed up to the old adage, "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."

Bill Seale, a principal and director of portfolios at ProFund Advisors of Bethesda, Md., has more than 30 years of experience in financial services. At one point in Seale's career, he was appointed commissioner of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission by then President Ronald Reagan. Seale oversees the management team in charge of ProFunds' 74 specialty bull and bear index funds, two money market funds and 22 variable insurance products, with a total of $2.5 billion under management. The firm's bear funds have the dubious distinction of being some of the best-performing funds so far this year. MFMN Associate Editor Chris Frankie recently interviewed Seale.

Hedge funds are now trying to beat mutual fund companies at their own new game.

And you thought the baseball contract negotiations were tough.

Some might argue that the Vice Fund, the latest offering from Dallas-based Mutuals.com, invests in the evils of the world.

Two minds, or more, are better than one.