Money Management Executive Latest News

Executives at mutual fund companies increased their contributions to Washington politicians in 2004 to $1.3 million, data from opensecrets.com shows. That's a significant increase from the last presidential election year, in 2000, when they donated $391,938. And so far, in the 2006 cycle, employees at the top 10 mutual fund companies have donated $257,297.

Russel Kinnel, director of mutual fund research at Morningstar in Chicago, has pinpointed four struggling funds that have recently shown new signs of life. But looks can be deceiving, he adds.

In an agreement that further reflects the popularity of outsourcing non-core business, Oaks, Pa.-based SEI Investments, will provide mutual fund administration, accounting, distribution and compliance services to Westwood Holdings Group.

Morningstar has reassigned five key analysts in its mutual fund division.

State Street Global Advisors unveiled three new industry-specific SPDR exchange-traded funds that focus on Standard & Poor's Select Industry indexes. They are the SPDR Biotech, SPDR Homebuilders and SPDR Semiconductor funds, and all three are trading on the American Stock Exchange.

Why would a mutual fund portfolio manager continue to hold General Motors stock, which fell 52% in 2005 and earned the distinction of being the worst performer among those in the Dow Jones Industrial Average?

Separately managed account assets could skyrocket from the first wave of Baby Boomers, who turn 60 this year.

Self-directed retirement accounts allow investors to make unconventional investments, and more and more people are opting for these higher-risk strategies in hopes of great gains, according to Business Week Online.

Although U.S. investors wouldn't know it, world bond funds enjoyed a respectable year in 2005, a recent report from The Wall Street Journal indicates.

Fidelity Investments Japan's new president is very optimistic that market will surpass the United Kingdom to become Fidelity's No. 1 overseas market by 2010.