Portfolio

UPDATE: Who are the most influential people in our industry? Financial Planning is now accepting nominations for our annual Influencer Awards. We are seeking the most impactful individuals in multiple categories who are leading -- and sometimes pushing -- the industry to higher levels. The awards will recognize practitioners and thought leaders who have made significant contributions to the financial planning profession, from developing innovative portfolio and practice-management solutions to providing leadership for the advisory community.

On August 10, 2012, The Securities and Exchange Commission Friday charged a Florida-based investment manager and his firm for failing to provide SEC examiners with records of a mutual fund advisory business that invested in NASCAR-related stocks.

On August 10, 2012, Morningstar has just unveiled a medal count for the 106 funds covered under its new Morningstar Analyst Ratings, with five funds garnering Gold; 22 earning Silver, and 39 netting Bronze. Rounding out the rankings, 38 funds receiving Neutral ratings and two received negative.

There has been an ongoing discussion surrounding hedge funds and their ability - or lack thereof - to create jobs. Do they really have the capacity to help the job market? And if they do, what jobs are hedge funds producing?

On August 10, 2012, Janus Capital Group has entered into a strategic alliance with the The Dai-ichi Life Insurance Company, in which Japan’s third largest life insurer will acquire up to 20% of Janus’s outstanding shares and invest at least $2 billion in Janus investment products

In August 10, 2012, The global exchange-traded product market attracted total inflows of $22.6 billion of inflows in July, according to the ETP Landscape report released by BlackRock.

Carlyle Group LP agreed to buy TCW Group Inc. from Societe Generale SA in a deal that will give TCW's management and employees a 40% stake.

The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board released a proposal Thursday aimed at increasing protection for retail investors who trade municipal bonds online.

Moody's Investors Service downgraded 290 municipal issuers from April 1 through June 30, the most for any quarter since 2000, led by cities and school districts still recovering from the longest recession since the 1930s.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average trimmed off 10.45 points Thursday to finish at 13,165.19 while the Nasdaq and S&P 500 added 7.39 points and 0.58 points, respectively.