Portfolio

Institutional investors continued the pattern established late in 2011 of reducing allocations to equities, according to results of the State Street Investor Confidence Index for February 2012.

Mutual fund firms such as Vanguard and Fidelity Investments are finding themselves at the top of the Kasina Social Media Index.

NYSE Euronext said its annual report to the SEC that it incurred $85 million of legal, banking and other expenses in 2011 from its unsuccessful plan to merge with Deutsche Boerse.

On Feb. 14, Vanguard's 64,000 Facebook fans received virtual candy hearts with the messages:

Institutional investors continued the pattern established late in 2011 of reducing allocations to equities, according to results of the State Street Investor Confidence Index for February 2012.

American Beacon Advisors has added to its offerings two growth funds, one focused on small-caps and the other mid-caps, managed by Stephens Investment Management Group.

The chief economist of The Dreyfus Corporation said Wednesday that world growth will slow down again in 2012, based on International Monetary Fund calculation methods.

Genworth Financial Wealth Management has hired the former executive director of global asset management at UBS to the post of strategic accounts director with a focus on institutional clients.

Alternative mutual fund shop Direxion has hired Greg Blue to serve as senior regional sales director, focusing on the Florida market.

Advisors with clients who want to move money into real estate investments known as tenant-in-common offerings under section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code need to be wary.