Portfolio

Grail Advisors, a provider of actively managed exchange-traded funds, has recruited Gary Black, the former chief executive officer of Janus, to serve as a director on its advisory board.

ETF Securities has launched two exchange-traded funds that are the first to be physically backed by platinum and palladium. The company already offers ETFs backed by gold and silver.

Klopp joins as head of Americas real estate investing and global real estate debt investing

The raging bull market of the last 12 months will continue throughout 2010 but at a slower, steadier pace, giving investors reason to draw back slightly on risk, according to BlackRock’s Bob Doll, the vice chairman and global chief investment officer of fundamental equities and Curtis Arledge, managing director and co-head of U.S. fixed income portfolio management group, in their forecast for the first quarter.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has appointed five individuals to specialize in various areas of investigation and has also created an Office of Market Intelligence to compile the hundreds of thousands of tips, complaints and referrals that the SEC receives each year.

ETF Securities has launched two exchange-traded funds that are the first to be physically backed by platinum and palladium. The company already offers ETFs backed by gold and silver.

Grail Advisors, a provider of actively managed exchange-traded funds, has recruited Gary Black, the former chief executive officer of Janus, to serve as a director on its advisory board.

Institutional investors remain optimistic that the global economy and the interest rate-ridden housing market will help create “stability” and growth in the New Year, a Northern Trust Global Advisors (NTGA) survey found.

Global growth last year: a massive 45.2%

Bank life insurance sales growth has far exceeded overall industry growth for the second quarter in a row.