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A majority of finance professionals are cautiously optimistic about growth in 2012, a survey by Accounting Principals, a finance and accounting staffing company, found.

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index for the U.S. increased sharply in October, by 0.9%, to 117.4 (2004 = 100). This follows a 0.1% increase in September and a 0.3% increase in August.

Russell Investments has launched an iPad-friendly version of its Helping Advisors website.

Jon B. Lovelace of The Capital Group died Wednesday at age 84. In 1951, Lovelace joined Capital Group, which his father, Jonathan Bell Lovelace, founded. His legacy was turning Capital Group into a pioneer in international and emerging market investing, a team approach to fund management and long-term investing.

And you thought the U.S. stocks were out of favor. Then came October. While $20.4 billion got pulled out of mutual funds that invest long-term in U.S. stocks, money was flooding into exchange-traded funds that invested in U.S. stocks.

Financial professionals, 86% of whom have at least one social media account, risk running afoul of compliance rules as regulatory bodies sort out the rules for advisors’ use of these new channels. That was the message from social medial expert Alexandra Basak Russell, at the Women Advisors Forum in Huntington Beach, Calif.

Merrill Lynch is helping its advisors and clients change their most basic assumptions about investing, according to Jennifer Williams, branch manager of the company’s Newport Beach, Calif., office told the audience at the Women Advisors Forum today in Huntington Beach, Calif.

Only 31% of financial advisors in the U.S. are women. Only 20% of women investors have a financial advisor, but 70% would like to work with a female planner. These numbers are even more impressive given that women possess at least half -- if not more -- of all private wealth in the country and control 80% of all household purchases.

Jon B. Lovelace of The Capital Group passed away Wednesday at age 84. In 1951, Lovelace joined Capital Group, which his father, Jonathan Bell Lovelace, founded.

Bill Miller will cede his position as chief investment officer of Legg mason in April. Sam Peters will become CIO and take over as portfolio manager of the $7.4 billion Value Trust fund. Peters will also become lead manager on the Value Equity strategy. However, Miller will remain chairman of Legg Mason continue to run its Opportunities trust.