News Feed

The much-awaited opening of trading in Pacific Investment Management Co.’s Total Return ETF arrived this morning. By noon, 345,800 shares had been traded. Missing from the ringing of the bell at the New York Stock Exchange: the fund’s manager, Bill Gross.

Wedbush Securities has launched a trading platform provider that the firm says will dramatically speed up trades for fund managers and other institutional investors, as well as give them better control over their transaction costs.

For some Dow components (and their investors), February was a heartbreaker. Here’s an interactive slide show highlighting the 5 worst-performing Dow component stocks for February 2012.

This week, IRA expert Ed Slott answers readers’ questions about Roth IRA conversion income limits and options for spouses inheriting IRAs.

Wells Fargo has promoted Dean Junkans to the role of chief investment officer of Wells Fargo Advisors and Wells Fargo Private Bank.

StanCorp Equities has appointed Jennifer Giampaolo as a pension consultant for its Orange County Retirement Plans Office, responsible for retirement plan sales in Orange, San Diego, San Bernardino and Riverside counties. She will also serve Arizona and New Mexico.

The Principal Financial Group has entered into a definitive agreement to buy a 60 percent stake in Claritas Investments, Ltd., a Sao Paulo-based mutual fund and asset management company with more than $1.8 billion in assets under management.

Another financial services firm has entered the fray over providing customer’s high functioning mobile access.

Independent broker-dealer Paulson Investment Company has agreed to transfer its retail operations to RIA and broker-dealer JHS Capital Advisors.

Goldman Sachs Asset Management yesterday unveiled two funds today: a managed futures fund and a short duration income fund. These launches follow the launch of a rising dividend growth fund on Monday.