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Raymond James’s acquisition of Regions Financial’s Morgan Keegan brokerage followed months of waiting after intentions to sell the firm were announced in 2011 and could be the first of many similar deals in 2012.

The field of behavioral finance has shown that human beings can’t be presumed to take the most logical, rational approach to investing. So if not logic, just what is affecting our decisions? Here’s an interactive slide show that explains 10 of the most common psychological pitfalls that regularly affect professional and amateur investors alike.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average trimmed 13 points to finish at 12,449.45 while tech stocks continued their recent resurgence on the heels of a pair of encouraging economic reports.

Equity funds saw outflows of $9.4 billion for the week of Jan. 4, 2012, according to numbers released by the Investment Company Institute.

Raymond James Financial will acquire Regions Financial’s Morgan Keegan brokerage for $930 million in stock, a move the firm said will create one of the largest wealth management and investment banking firms away from Wall Street.

How investors go about making decisions in uncertain and volatile markets can have long-lasting implications, especially when bias and emotion enter in. The field of behavioral finance has shown that human beings can’t be presumed to take the most logical, rational approach to investing. So if not logic, just what is affecting our decisions? A recent report from Robert W. Baird & Co.’s Private Wealth Management Research team outlines psychological and social factors that affect how we make financial decisions. Be aware of these factors to help you avoid some psychological pitfalls that regularly affect professional and amateur investors alike. Source: Robert W. Baird & Co.’s Private Wealth Management Research

Retirement plan clients can now get on-the-go portfolio analytics from BNY Mellon’s new iPad app, P Mobile Dashboard.

Schwab Retirement Plan Services already serves 1.5 million workers saving for retirement, but hopes that its new Schwab Index Advantage service will increase participation even more by demystifying the 401(K) saving process.

UBS Wealth Management Americas has hired two financial advisor teams from Morgan Stanley Smith Barney in New Jersey and California.

A federal arbitration panel has fined the brokerage firm Morgan Keegan & Co. for mishandling the account of an Atlanta charity.