Investment insights

Investors added $27.7 billion to long-term open-end funds in October, according to data from Morningstar. Taxable-bond funds led the way with inflows of $29.6 billion, while U.S.-stock funds saw outflows of $8.3 billion.

Despite the volatility of the last few years and the continued economic malaise in much of the developed world, global stocks are still attractive, according to executives at Morgan Stanley.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner yesterday urged the Securities and Exchange Commission to pursue new rules for money-market mutual funds, triggering fresh opposition from industry leaders who had beaten back similar proposals and are pursuing a weaker overhaul.

The Schwab IMPACT 2012 Conference opened Tuesday in Chicago. The annual gathering of independent investment advisors, now in its 21st year, will go on through Friday bringing together the industry’s best and brightest advisors.

Thirty-seven percent of investors say they are now refraining from investing in stocks because of current economic or market conditions, and as many as 76% of investors say they are only somewhat or not at all willing to take on more risk to obtain a potentially higher yield.

Equities stand to benefit from a boost in the housing market and stabilization in Europe while fixed income could lag come 2013.

Retail and institutional investors are making bets contrary to their investment goals, according to new research.

Bruce R. Bent II, president of the failed $62.5 billion Reserve Primary money-market fund, was found liable for one claim that he negligently violated a securities law while his father was absolved of any liability in a lawsuit brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

It may be some time before Congress and the Obama administration decide what to do about the tax rates for next year, so it’s a good idea to plan for various alternative scenarios just in case.

The election results, while no surprise, have pretty much left us where we were in terms of tax policy, according to Roger Harris, president of Padgett Business Services.

“Advisors talk about Black Swan events and tail risk – you didn’t hear retail planners talking about tail risk 10 years ago, or if you did it was the top 1% of the group. Now, it’s the new nomenclature,” said Jeff Montgomery, head of AFAM/Innealta Capital.

Total estimated outflows from long-term mutual funds were $488 million for the week ended Wednesday, October 31, according to data from the Investment Company Institute.

Heading into 2013, check out some topical tax management strategies from Envestnet.

Tim Ryan says focus should be on moving forward with Dodd-Frank and addressing the fiscal cliff.

In the wake of Obama's re-election, there is much that won’t change said MFS experts in a post-election webcast. Historically markets have done better under Democratic Presidents, but even more important is the business cycle and the shape the of U.S. economy.

“Last night’s speech showed that he knows that he needs the whole country engaged and to work with him,” BNY Mellon Investment Management CEO Curtis Arledge said of President Obama.

The election results virtually guarantee that key portions of health care legislation passed in 2010 will go into effect next year, as scheduled. Thus, many clients will face a 3.8% surtax on investment income.

With four more years of the Obama administration, members of the financial advisory industry share their perspectives on what the win means for the industry and the clients they serve.

President Barack Obama’s victory positions him to claim a mandate for pushing a proposal through Congress that would let tax cuts expire for top earners and avert $1.2 trillion in automatic spending reductions.

Credit Suisse Group AG and Qatar Holding LLC, a unit of the Persian Gulf emirate’s sovereign- wealth fund, agreed to form asset manager Aventicum Capital Management to boost investments in emerging markets.