Portfolio

U.S. investors have warmed to exchange-traded funds in a big way over the past five years and their growing familiarity with the expanding variety of products available helped pushed the total value of U.S. ETF assets over the $1 trillion mark last month, according to a report from State Street Global Advisors.

According to PIMCO, consultants said that active management makes the most sense for all asset classes, except large-cap U.S. equities.

As exchange-traded funds have gained in popularity, confusion has grown over how to pick the ETF right for investor portfolios. Now Charles Schwab has stepped up to fill in the gap.

Financial firms are still trying to develop coherent social media strategies. But don’t race into it: the risks are not well understood.

Fixed indexed and income annuity sales shook off a lackluster to start to the year to finish 2010 with some much-needed momentum, according to Beacon Research's latest research.

Fewer hedge funds opened their doors in the fourth quarter, according to HFR Hedge Fund Research.

New advisor growth increased by more than 60% from a year earlier.

Concerns about rising oil prices and an end to the stock market rally once quantitative easing ends has caused 40% of hedge fund managers to be bearish on U.S. equities, up from 26% in January, according to the TrimTabs/BarclayHedge Survey of Hedge Fund Managers. And only 26% are bullish, down from 37%.

Sales rose 18% in the fourth quarter to $37.6 billion.

For three days, 610 bank investment advisors, speakers, sponsors and exhibitors assembled in Hollywood, Fla., for insights and ideas on the industry. Check out some of the images in this photo gallery.