Money Management Executive Latest News

Last year was the worst year on record for dividends as more companies slashed their dividends than ever before, according to Standard & Poor’s.

Hedge funds had their best year last year since 1999, according to the Hennessee Group, a hedge fund advisory firm.

WisdomTree Investments has introduced the WisdomTree International Hedge Equity Fund, an exchange-traded fund-of-fund.

Eighty percent of fund managers expect the stock market to continue to rise in 2010, fueled by real corporate earnings growth, rather than aggressive cost-cutting, Russell Investments found.

Seventy-three percent of 3,000 people that the Investment Company Institute polled said they are confident they will be able to retire, thanks to their 401(k) savings, and 90% gave a thumbs-up on the plans, citing their tax advantages, convenient payroll deductions, choices, control and the financial discipline they instill.

Long-term mutual funds took in $3.5 billion in the week ended Dec. 29, marking the 42nd straight week for positive inflows, which now top $416 billion, the Investment Company Institute said.

TD Ameritrade has unveiled a series of tools and resources to help investors better understand how the 2010 Roth IRA modifications might affect their retirement benefits.

With the economy still on life support and inflation an increasing threat, the Federal Reserve will continue to act like a “sugar daddy” and leave interest rates untouched until 2011, predicts PIMCO Co-Chief Investment Officer and founder Bill Gross.

Charles Schwab Corp. announced Thursday that it plans to reduce its online equity trade commissions and add new products in an effort to gather customers and assets.

Baron Funds has debuted the Baron Real Estate Fund, a fund that will invest directly in real estate as well as such real estate-related companies as management companies, building products, home furnishings, construction and engineering and infrastructure. The fund even has license to invest in hospitals and correctional facilities and up to 25% of its assets in securities of foreign issuers not publicly traded in the U.S.