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Almost three years after Bernard Madoff’s fraudulent investment scheme was discovered, the unprecedented crime still holds some key lessons for financial advisors, according to investigative journalist Diana B. Henriques.

In light of the recent market volatility, a new report from Fidelity Investments analyzing the performance of 401(k) balances between Oct. 1, 2008 and June 30, 2011 is quite telling -- giving a testimonial to the value of sticking with the stock market even amid the worst declines.

Bank of America will lay off at least 3,500 employees in the next few months.

Bank of America will lay off at least 3,500 employees in the next few months.

iShares has launched the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Small Cap Index Fund.

In its attempt to deliver additional quality buy-and-hold alternative investments to investors, Direxion has hired Edward Egilinsky as managing director, head of alternative investments.

Van Eck Global has introduced the Market Vectors Mortgage REIT Income ETF. The fund tracks the Market Vectors Global Mortgage REITs Index, an index that requires constituent companies to derive at least 50% of their revenues from mortgage REITs.

The downgrade of U.S. debt may have led to more market volatility than the Flash Crash. That’s the initial result of comparing the average daily volume of stock trading in August 2011 to the volume in May 2010, when stocks fell nearly 1,000 points at one point in a single day of trading.

Credit card chargeoffs have been plunging since the middle of last year, moving against the tide of an anemic jobs environment but supported by slowing bankruptcies.

While lawmakers raising concerns about a potential merger is nothing new, Rep. Barney Frank added a unique twist to his letter asking the Federal Reserve Board to take more time to review the Capital One-ING Direct transaction: the potential for systemic risk.